I believe one reason we fans can be hopeful (or optimistic) about the 2023 season is the Packers are bringing back a good portion of the OL from 2022 into 2023 season.

LT → David Bahktiari
LG → Elgton Jenkins
C → Josh Meyers
RG → Jon Runyan Jr
RT → Zach Tom/Yosh Ninjman

Remember 2014? The Packers OL played the same five for nearly the entire season. It was the strength of the team and you can probably only name two or three of them. Meaning, they weren't All-Pro level, but the UNIT played at an All-Pro level. It's not the individual pieces, it's the SUM of the pieces that matter most when it comes to OL. 

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Yeah I agree, if this unit can stay healthy and work cohesively, I think they have a good chance to be a top 10, maybe top 5 OL. I hope they lock Tom in at RT sooner rather than later so the unit can gel. Then you have Nijman who can come in at either tackle position in case of injury without shuffling the entire line around. Guard is a little more concerning, but Newman is a decent backup (if a poor starter). They could upgrade at center (both starter and backup), but probably nobody is available at this point without a trade or something like that. But even then, if Jenkins and Runyan can spend the entire year at LG and RG, Myers will probably look a little better this year than he has.

I think a good and consistent OL will be very important in terms of making sure Love is comfortable and can develop into the starting role. So many young QBs flare out because they are on bad teams with bad OLs and spend much of their time running for their lives rather than settling in and having the time they need to process the play and make good decisions.

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Tom can play C. They still have Jake Hansen there, may the Lord help us all. Jenkins too. I like their depth at C. It'd be really nice if we can stay healthy along the line.

With these backs and a solid Oline, we could do some business.

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Btw, if Cobe Jones and Rasheed Wallace show they can get it done at LT, it wouldn’t shock me to see Bakh gone (along with his contract) before the trade deadline. 

Just sayin
 

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If 600 lb pigs had wings maybe they could fly

Just saying 

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Wouldn't shock me. 

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Bahk has some Aaron Rodgers junior in his 'tude. 

I'm wary at this point. 

Never thought I would be, but there it is.

 

Yeah, but what would shock you? 

My understanding is that if the Packers trade Bakhtiari before March 2024, they'll only save LESS than $2.224 million. That savings is not worth a severe downgrade in pass protection for your franchise QB.

And if someone was going to trade an outrageous amount for Bakhtiari, they probably would have done it by now.

Plus, if the Packers were to lose Bakhtiari right now, I think Jones and Walker might continue to be bench warmers, with something like we saw in the Bears late game, an OL of Tom, Jenkins, Myers, Runyan and Nijman.

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Bakhtiari has always had a lot of attitude, the most interesting story to me was the Robert Tonyan players tribune article, where they were all at a players Thanksgiving dinner with their significant others, and if I remember correctly, Bakhtiari's GF was trying to keep him calm but he basically ripped into Tonyan for his lack of quality blocking...

​​​​​​I don't see Rodgers and Bakhtiari as similar though... as Bakhtiari is straight, blunt, cold hard truth.... it's all 100% business for Bakhtiari and business comes first, second and third... and to my knowledge, he hasn't complained or tried to change the way the Packers handle their business, but instead analysis it and says, okay, if they're doing "W".. weather he agrees or disagrees with it... that going to cause "x", "y" and "z". And he'll tell you weather he agrees or disagees with it, but he understands that their option, and he has no control over their option, and doesn't seem to attempt to sway their option route, but he pays attention, analysis it and gives his opinion on it. At least that's what I have noticed. Maybe there is a lot that I haven't noticed.

But I think you can easily work with Bakhtiari, you might not like working with him (he's overly blunt and harsh), but he's consistent, open and honest in his approach... you can trust him, might not like him, but you can trust him.


Meanwhile, Rodgers (at least publicly) is anything but straight and blunt, and tries to manipulate and sway... and some of it is all business, but others part of it are extremely much personal for Rodgers. Rodgers has complained a lot publicly and seemingly privately. Rodgers has seemed to try to have input a ton when he wants to, but as reported, he's also at times not called the GM back when the GM was listening, or not showed up to game plan meeting with LaFleaur, showing that he wants control when he wants it, but he also doesn't want the responsibilities when he doesn't... it's much more mood based. What is he in the mood for at the moment.

You might enjoy working with Rodgers a lot more, as his more interesting, more warm, seemingly caring.of feelings... but inconsistent, moody,  closed off at times, and I don't want to say dishonest, but certainly not straight forward with certain aspects and manipulative. Making him much harder to trust.


Now, Rodgers and Bakhtiari have been together and friends so long, that they probably have a ton of similar opinion and if those opinions are bothering you, then absolutely, they're similar in that way.

But my biggest issues is trust and consistency, and while Bakhtiari might be an major asshole (ripping someone's ass at Thanksgiving dinner with families around), he seems to be consistent, trustworthy and not trying to manipulate or control the power that's under someone else's job title or be more than a player (willing to stay in his lane so to speak).

Of course, if the team starts losing a ton, Bakhtiari's asshole side could potentially be making more and more appearances. 

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Beast wrote:Probably.

But, if Bakhtiari shows himself to be completely healthy, and a contending team incurs a injury to its LT, you might get a very nice package in return for him.  

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