Bakhtiari Considers Hall of Fame Legacy

"When everyone else is calling you great, then that’s something special," the Packers' four-time All-Pro left tackle said.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – When the Green Bay Packers drafted Colorado offensive tackle David Bakhtiari in the fourth round in 2013, scouts saw a guard. Perhaps even a center.

When Bryan Bulaga, who had been moved from right tackle to left tackle, suffered a season-ending knee injury on Family Night about three-and-a-half months later, the Packers were forced to put Bakhtiari into the starting lineup. They quickly learned they had an offensive tackle.

And a damned good one.

Bakhtiari is on an incredible trajectory. He’s been selected to the prestigious All-Pro team each of the last four seasons. That’s a streak beaten only by Hall of Famer Forrest Gregg in franchise history. In NFL Network’s player-voted “Top 100 Players of 2020,” Bakhtiari was voted No. 62 overall but No. 1 at the position. Over the last decade, only future Hall of Famer Joe Thomas can beat Bakhtiari’s grade in pass protection, according to Pro Football Focus.

“There’s always, in certain position groups, kind of that one guy you need to stay healthy, and Dave’s that guy because he’s an All-Pro,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said last year. “I think he has Hall of Fame potential. He’s an incredible player. When he’s over there, you feel really comfortable with him locking down pass rushers throughout the game. His leadership has been outstanding. He’s been a great locker room guy, he’s been a lot of fun to get to know.”

On Tuesday, Bakhtiari wore a T-shirt that read “Call My Agent” in reference to his contract expiring after this season.

In time, Bakhtiari could wear a Hall of Fame gold jacket.

Imagine that.

Well, Bakhtiari has.

“Yeah, I’m not going to lie. Have I? Absolutely,” he said when asked if he’s considered his legacy and Hall of Fame potential. “But I don't live in those thoughts because in order to make those thoughts a reality, I have to conquer the day, not the week or the year. I don’t think that big. You’ve got to start micro in order to make it a macro thought or macro dream. I just try to be the best I can every day. That’s just really kind of been me. It’s kind of cheesy, but, hey.”

How rare is Bakhtiari? Among this year’s 32 projected starting left tackles, 22 were taken in the first round and 27 in the first three rounds. That makes Bakhtiari a fourth-round rarity.

Moreover, over the past 50 drafts, eight offensive tackles have wound up in the Hall of Fame. Six were first-rounders, one was a second and one was a third.

Bakhtiari, who won’t turn 29 until Sept. 30, has gotten better and better. In his first three seasons, he allowed 7.5 sacks in 2013, 7.0 in 2014 and 5.0 in 2015 for a total of 19.5. Over the past four seasons, he allowed 3.0 sacks in 2016, 2.5 in 2017, 3.0 in 2018 and 3.5 in 2019 for a total of 12 sacks. He got off to a bit of a rocky start, by his lofty standards, last season before rounding into form. In the final seven games, he allowed seven pressures, according to PFF.

The gold standard among offensive tackles, Bakhtiari said he’s always had the mentality for greatness.

Even if scouts didn’t see it in 2013.

“You have to have that mind-set. If you put a cap on yourself, you put a ceiling on yourself, you’re never going to break through that,” he said. “I never looked at a cap or ceiling of what I was. I just said I’m going to be the best version of myself every day. I’m going to come in and constantly reinvent myself and I’m going to work on the next day. I’m going to stack those up.

“For me, you talk about when did I realize I was great, it’s more I’m going to do what I believe in myself to be the best and I’ll let the people outside talk for me. So, when everyone else is calling you great, then that’s something special. When you’re saying, ‘I’m going to be great, I’m going to be great,’ it comes off kind of arrogant at times and not as authentic. But when other people’s idea of you is greatness, then I think that’s when you start having something special. I never have one time had Aaron tell me he’s great. My opinion of him and how I’ve see him every day has justified to me saying that is a man that is great at his craft and who he is and he does it every day, every week, every year and hopefully more than one decade.”