The Green Bay Packers are facing a tough decision regarding David Bakhtiari this offseason, but they have options to replace him, including a “dream trade scenario” proposed by Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report. This scenario involves trading up in the draft to select an elite-level prospect to fill Bakhtiari’s spot on the offensive line.
Two top tackle prospects, Joe Alt from Notre Dame and Olumuyiwa Fashanu from Penn State, are potential targets for the Packers. However, moving up from the 25th overall pick won’t be easy. Alt and Fashanu are highly ranked prospects, and if there is an early run on quarterbacks in the draft, they could fall out of the top 10, making a trade more feasible but still expensive.
In Mel Kiper Jr.’s initial 2024 mock draft, he projected Alt to go 7th overall and Fashanu to go 10th, while the Packers pick 25th. Kiper agrees that the Packers will target an offensive tackle in the first round, but he has them selecting Kingsley Suamataia from BYU as the sixth tackle drafted.
In Knox’s dream scenario, the Packers trade up into the top 10 or just outside it to land Alt or Fashanu. One proposal involves trading Bakhtiari to the Jets as part of a larger package, appealing to Aaron Rodgers, who has a close relationship with Bakhtiari.
Bakhtiari’s salary cap number in 2024 is nearly $40 million, and the Packers can save close to $21 million by parting ways with him. Given his age and health concerns, it’s unlikely any team would keep him at that price. With Jordan Love in line for a big new deal, the Packers need to ensure they have a strong offensive line to protect their new quarterback.
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