Week 1 is in the books, and offensive tackle David Bakhtiari is still a free agent. Once considered to be one of the very best at his position, injuries limited the two-time First-Team All-Pro to just 13 games over the past three seasons. While he remained a reliable player when on the field, his inability to stay on it ultimately led to his release. Teams didn’t want to sign him throughout the offseason, but that could change in Week 2 thanks to some lesser-known contract language.
David Bakhtiari is a vested veteran, which means his base salary would’ve become fully guaranteed had he been on a team’s 53-man roster on Week 1. However, this language does not apply for the remainder of the season, which means any team could sign David Bakhtiari as a free agent with basically no financial risk. Several teams across the league could use a low-risk, high-reward tackle, and the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, and Kansas City Chiefs make the most sense.
3 Teams Could Sign Free Agent David Bakhtiari
The New Orleans Saints shut down the Carolina Panthers pass rush in Week 1, but that probably says more about Carolina than it does the Saints. First-round pick Taliese Fuaga and Trevor Penning played well, but Penning probably didn’t learn how to be a league-average tackle overnight. Maybe the right tackle finally found out how to play up to his draft capital, but it wouldn’t hurt to sign David Bakhtiari as a free agent just in case he regresses in the coming weeks.
Week 1 showed just how good Derek Carr can be when he has adequate protection. Unfortunately, the past decade shows how bad he can be when the blocking doesn’t hold up. This team must make the playoffs if head coach Dennis Allen wants to keep his job, and signing free agent David Bakhtiari for basically no guaranteed money is a solid way to boost the odds of winning the NFC South.
Mahomes Insurance
The Chiefs have the best interior offensive line in football, but their tackle situation remains a bit of a mess. Second-round pick Kingsley Suamataia earned the Week 1 start but finished his NFL debut with a 48.9 PFF grade, the 57th-best mark out of 63 eligible players. Suamataia may have a bright future in this league, but asking him to start right out of the gate might be asking too much. David Bakhtiari can provide starting-caliber play at a small cost while Suamataia adjusts to NFL life.
Even when Suamataia is ready for NFL reps, the team could still use a free agent like David Bakhtiari. Right tackle Jawaan Taylor had a rough first season in Kansas City, and his struggles continued in Week 1. While his contract ensures the team won’t cut him in 2024, Kansas City could bench him if they find a better option. At his best, Bakhtiari was a far superior player and perhaps the Chiefs can catch lightning in a bottle.
Fixing the Mess In Carolina
The Carolina Panthers drastically overhauled their team in the offseason and they don’t have much to show for it. Despite spending big on the interior offensive line, trading for Diontae Johnson, and using their first-round pick on Xavier Legette, this offense remains a dysfunctional mess. Bryce Young’s days may be numbered, but backup quarterback Andy Dalton won’t fare much better without superior blocking. It’s only one game, but Ikem Ekwonu had a rough day against Chase Young and the Saints front seven. If this team wants their quarterback to survive, they should consider signing David Bakhtiari as a free agent.
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