In a May post, I received plenty of criticism for suggesting that the Chicago Bears would be wise to consider signing former Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari before training camp. Sports bettors think Bakhtiari will likely wear a Bears uniform this fall.
Why signing David Bakhtiari would make sense
Sep 13, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Green Bay Packers tackle David Bakhtiari (69) during the second half at Soldier Field. Green Bay Packers defeats the Chicago Bears 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Here was my reasoning in late May:
The Bears could look to improve their LT position by taking a risk on former Green Bay Packers All-Pro David Bakhtiari. The Packers released Bakhtiari this offseason because they didn’t want to continue paying the gigantic contract he signed right before suffering a career-changing ACL injury in 2020.
Bahtiari has seen sporadic action and several surgeries for his knee since. But he’s consistently been the Packers’ best player on offense when he’s been on the field. Bahktiari is on pace to return to play in the 2024 season.
Because of his injury history, the Bears could get a bargain signing him this offseason. He could compete for the starting job in training camp. Having Jones or Bakhtiari as a swing tackle would be a luxury.
The Chicago Bears are building around Caleb Williams this offseason
I did say at the time that the money would probably be better spent on the defensive line. However, if the Bears cut Larry Borom and save $3 million, they could use the money to upgrade the offensive line while they look for a veteran option or two in the defensive line.
However, some Bears beat writers, like Kevin Fishbain with The Athletic, think the Bears starting five on the offensive line is actually more concerning than the defensive line.
So far this offseason, general manager Ryan Poles has shown he’s more worried about building a roster to aid in Caleb Williams’ development than giving third-year head coach Matt Eberflus more talent on defense.
Vegas thinks the Bears are more inclined to further help Williams before Week 1.
According to Bet Online, the Bears have the best odds to sign Bakhtiari at +500. The Kansas City Chiefs are second at +600, and the Baltimore Ravens are third at +800.
With Bakhtiari as an OT, Kiran Amegadjie could switch to OG
Signing Bakhtiari would free up Jones to become a swing tackle. The Bears would almost certainly cut Borom. They could switch rookie offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie to the guard position (he played at Yale in 2021), giving the Bears more options on the interior offensive line, which is the weakest part of the unit.
Amegadjie switching to guard as a rookie would make sense on a roster with unknowns, such as Nate Davis and Teven Jenkins, staying in Chicago beyond this season. Brett Kollmann of The Bootleg Football podcast recently brought up the idea of Amegadjie switching to guard on Bears Banter.
Bakhtiari would be a catalyst for making that happen.
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