Insider shares major update on two-time All-Pro who remains a free agent

It's been a difficult last few seasons for free-agent offensive tackle David Bakhtiari. He was on the field for just one game in 2023, and he's appeared in only 13 contests since the start of the 2021 season. This ultimately led to the Green Bay Packers releasing him back in March.

Bakhtiari will turn 33 in September, and despite his struggles with injuries during the last few years, it seems like he still wants to continue playing in the NFL next season.

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport on Tuesday, Bakhtiari had a "positive" visit during a follow-up exam after undergoing knee surgery multiple months ago, and he is "on schedule" to return for the 2024 season.

This is great news for Bakhtiari, who hasn't had much to be excited about during the last few seasons. Now, if he can stay healthy, he could potentially turn into a steal if a team needs an upgrade on the left side of its offensive line.

Bakhtiari likely isn't going to cost a ton for a team to take a chance on him. The risk is low, so as soon as he's fully cleared to practice, it wouldn't be surprising if the former Green Bay offensive lineman had interest from multiple teams around the league.

Bakhtiari began his NFL career back in 2013 when the Packers used a fourth-round pick to select him out of Colorado. He immediately took over as Green Bay's starting left tackle during his rookie season, and he wound up holding onto that role until last March when he was released.

During his 11 years with the Packers, Bakhtiari was voted to the Pro Bowl three times, and he earned a pair of first-team All-Pro selections.