Packers restructure contract of LT David Bakhtiari, create more cap space in 2023
The Green Bay Packers restructured the contract of left tackle David Bakhtiari to create salary cap relief in 2023, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
The Packers converted his $9.5 million roster bonus and another $5.5 million of base salary into a signing bonus to create the savings in 2023.
Bakhtiari’s cap number before the restructure was $28,789,035.
The total amount of cap relief this year will depend on whether or not the Packers added void years to the deal. A maximum restructure involves adding void years to spread out the new, prorated signing bonus.
Without void years, the restructure will save the Packers around $7.5 million on the salary cap and drop Bakhtiari’s cap number to roughly $21.3 million in 2023. In this scenario, the Packers would be sitting at roughly $24 million in available cap space entering the start of the new league year next week.
Despite missing all but one game in 2021 after a suffering a significant knee injury to end 2020, Bakhtiari finally returned to the field in 2022 and once again looked like an elite left tackle. He gave up 10 total pressures and zero sacks over 11 games, per PFF.
The Packers, with another restructure of his deal, are banking on Bakhtiari playing at a high level for at least two more seasons.
Bakhtiari, who turns 32 in September, is under contract through the 2024 season.
The Packers have restructured the contracts of Bakhtiari, running back Aaron Jones, cornerback Jaire Alexander, outside linebacker Preston Smith and defensive lineman Kenny Clark this offseason, creating over $40 million in salary cap relief.
Packers Wire will have more on the Bakhtiari restructure and the salary cap impact when the numbers are available.
