All-Pro left tackle David Bakhtiari barely played the last two seasons as he rehabbed from a continuous knee injury. As long as he was still on the roster, though, there was a sliver of hope that he could return to form for the Green Bay Packers.
That hope was extinguished when Bakhtiari, a two-time first-team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler, was released this past spring.
The 32-year-old left tackle still hasn’t found an NFL home, but in the meantime, it seems the Packers have firmly moved on.
Rasheed Walker, Green Bay’s seventh-round draft pick in 2022, was tasked with replacing Bakhtiari for much of his stint on the injury report. Now heading into 2024, it seems like 6-foot-6, 324-pounder out Penn State has become the Packers next stalwart at the position.
A report on the team’s website relayed that Walker has been “the guy” at left tackle ever since training camp started.
He’s being tasked with being more than a “fill-in” in the post-Bakhtiari era, but quarterback Jordan Love is throwing his support behind his new left tackle.
“I think ‘Sheed has kind of solidified himself over there and is continuing to make a name for himself,” Love said. “He stepped up big-time last year.”
Walker started 17 of 19 games last season, including the playoffs. It was a huge “prove it” season for him after he appeared just one game (on special teams) in 2022.
“He was thrown into a role where it’s that next-man-up mentality, and I think he did a really good job, so I think Rasheed is building on what he did last year, trying to be as consistent as possible,” Love said.