The 90 to 1 Green Bay Packers roster countdown: No. 4 – David Bakhtiari

Three-time All-Pro David Bakhtiari is worth every penny as arguably the NFL's best all-around offensive lineman.

The Green Bay Packers, and their 90 players on the roster, are in the midst of their first training camp under coach Matt LaFleur. In an annual tradition from my 11 years at Packer Report, I rank the players in order of importance from No. 90 to No. 1. This isn’t just a listing of the team’s best players. Our rankings take into account talent, importance of the position, depth at the position, salary and draft history. More than the ranking, we hope you learn something about each player. (Note: The start of this series can be found with my former employer.)

No. 4: LT David Bakhtiari ($14,200,000 cap)

How good is Bakhtiari? So good that it makes news when the Packers’ All-Pro left tackle loses a rep in training camp.

Early in training camp, Bakhtiari was surrounded by reporters after losing back-to-back snaps against Za’Darius Smith in the one-on-one pass-protection drill.

“I kind of forgot what it felt like to lose,” Bakhtiari said.

An injury might have served as the launching pad for Bakhtiari going from good to great. It was late in 2015, and Bakhtiari had been ruled out with a badly sprained ankle for a game against Arizona. With the playoffs on the horizon and his availability in doubt, the injury “weighed heavily” on the ascending left tackle.

“I got on my phone and wrote down a list of things I wanted to accomplish on a personal level,” Bakhtiari recalled. “Obviously, some of that is team-oriented and some of it is personal. There’s a couple of checks that I have left that I want to do but, at the end of the day, if I don’t get those and I just get a Super Bowl ring, I’ll be happy. That’s really all I want.”

Bakhtiari might not have a ring but he does have fame and fortune. Just before the 2016 season, he signed a four-year, $48 million contract extension. He earned All-Pro accolades following the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons – the first Packers offensive tackle to accomplish that feat since Hall of Famer Forrest Gregg. If he were just any football player, the beer-chugging prowess he displayed at a couple Bucks playoff games wouldn’t have made a ripple. Instead, it started a sporting sensation that continued this week with Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Offensive tackles who can win on the edge, without help, are worth their weight in gold. That’s why 20 of the league’s projected starters were selected in the first round. With former fourth-round pick Bakhtiari protecting Aaron Rodgers’ blind side, the Packers haven’t had a game-planning care for years.

According to STATS, Bakhtiari allowed three sacks and was penalized four times (twice for holding) in 16 starts last season. According to Pro Football Focus, Bakhtiari allowed four sacks and finished fifth among offensive tackles in its pass-blocking efficiency, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap.

Left tackles get paid to protect their quarterback. Run blocking is a bonus. Bakhtiari had his best season as a run blocker last year, with former coach Mike McCarthy getting his big guy out in space to overpower defenseless defensive backs. On runs around left end, the Packers averaged 6.2 yards per carry last season, according to league data. New coach Matt LaFleur’s zone scheme should suit Bakhtiari’s skill-set.

“I like it. I’m a peacock. You’ve got to let me fly,” Bakhtiari said, quoting Mark Wahlberg’s line from the movie “The Other Guys.”

Bakhtiari added: “I enjoy it. I’ve always enjoyed getting in open space. It’s something I take pride in, especially while the legs are still fresh and my mindset’s still pretty young, getting out there and making the secondary pay for wanting to play football with the big guys.”

Bakhtiari’s cap charge ranks ninth among left tackles this season. That’s a pretty good bargain. Bakhtiari ranked No. 43 in NFL Network’s annual list of the league’s top 100 players. That was the highest ranking for any lineman.

Another monster payday awaits, with Bakhtiari’s contract set to expire after the 2020 season.

Oh, and about those goals. Bakhtiari wasn’t about to say but his quarterback mentioned the ultimate professional honor late last season.

“He’s an All-Pro. I think he has Hall of Fame potential,” Rodgers said. “He’s an incredible player. He’s been a rock for us. When he’s over there, you feel really comfortable with him locking down pass rushers throughout the game.”