Bakhtiari to Jets?

[Pokerbrat2000]

The sticking point w/ Bhak is the base salary. The signing bonus is spent and we're on the hook regardless. If and only if he's looking good post surgery, you could get cute with his deal for 2024 to play cap games.

The problem, of course, is that he has some leverage. If he doesn't like the offer, he could just demand to play out the contract, which would likely force us to trade or cut him.

1. Offer him an extra 3 years to give you room to play with bonus money spread over a few years.

2a. I'd specifically give him a roster bonus due in 2025, in case he really is done, we can walk away without another large cap hit.

2b. If you actually want to keep him and pay the roster bonus, convert it to a signing bonus, reducing his cap hit in 2025 to 1/2 or 1/3 the total amount.

3a. for 2024, offer him a smaller signing bonus (is 1 million enough for him to come to the table? 5?) + the veteran minimum + game day active bonuses. His 2024 base and roster bonus works out to 20.2M. Offer him 1.25M per game. A slight raise which hopefully is enough to get him interested

3b. As Bhak missed all but one game in 2023, his salary cap hit for 2024 would be reduced to his new, base salary + 1 game day check + whatever new bonus money was offered to get him to sign. The other 16 games would be "not likely to be earned" and thus any games he does play in, we'd get for free in 2024.

3c. If he makes it through on 7 games and you decide he's done, release him after 2024 before you pay the roster bonus. Your 2025 cap hit would be 6 * 1.25M.

Basically a long winded way to ask: His hit/dead cap for 2024 is $19,065,514. Even if we cut him, that's the minimum to finish paying off his bonus bonus. How much actually salary would you be willing to pay him for 2024 if you could tie most of his compensation to game day availability AND defer that cap hit for one year?

Lot's of options but one thing is for sure, if the Packers are going to redo his deal, it needs to be incentive laden. No way should they tie up any more guaranteed money, nor should he be paid like a top 10 LT, unless he actually is on the field and playing like one, thus the incentive pay.

I would hope that Bahk looks at his situation and the fact that he was paid a ton of money for not playing and be more than happy to take a big pay cut. Both the Packers and Bahk need to fully accept the uncertainty of him even playing again and if he does, at what skill level?

 

[PikeBadger]

I actually think option one is the way to go. I think they will go option two. It's a lot of money either way, but I'm personally getting sick of all this dead money. If were not willing to pay these guys their contracts to actually play then they need to quit handing out ridiculous contracts. Probably a dumb take, but it's only one more year and then they can go their separate ways.

Our core players all hit their peak just as their previous contracts were expiring and the pandemic arrived denting the salary cap. For better or worse, mgmt tried to keep the core intact while Rodgers was still here.

 

[Pkrjones]

After 4, 5 or 6 surgeries on the same knee does anyone honestly think he'll be able to serviceably play 1/2 of the games in '24? Time to cut bait, take the necessary '24 dead $ hit, & find our next 8-10 yr LT.

 

[milani]

After 4, 5 or 6 surgeries on the same knee does anyone honestly think he'll be able to serviceably play 1/2 of the games in '24? Time to cut bait, take the necessary '24 dead $ hit, & find our next 8-10 yr LT.

He is toast. When people have a number of surgeries in one location of the body it is done so they can function as an every day human being doing the routine. But performing a task which requires a strong, powerful joint is never going to happen again. This is someone who someday when he is older could require a knee replacement just to walk.

 

[tynimiller]

To be fair clean outs are not the same level as true surgeries. I also doubt he is able to play at his high level still but just saying.

 

[Krabs]

He is toast. When people have a number of surgeries in one location of the body it is done so they can function as an every day human being doing the routine. But performing a task which requires a strong, powerful joint is never going to happen again. This is someone who someday when he is older could require a knee replacement just to walk.

I don't disagree. I'm just tired of paying these contracts without any sort of service. We are going to pay this dude for one more year regardless. I get it is a lot of money, but at least they would get something out of it. I know it's a bad take and fiscally irresponsible, but that's my thought. I would feel better about a trade, but my gut says he is a cap casualty next season.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

After 4, 5 or 6 surgeries on the same knee does anyone honestly think he'll be able to serviceably play 1/2 of the games in '24? Time to cut bait, take the necessary '24 dead $ hit, & find our next 8-10 yr LT.

Cutting him would be my first preferred option, unless the doctors were super optimistic and he was able to prove it in a practice gym. Even then, I wouldn't just let his current contract run its course. I would approach him with a restructure. A new contract that substantially reduces his cap hit over 3 years and adequately reflects the risk of keeping him on the roster. Load that thing up with no guaranteed or upfront money and a mostly incentive pay.

 

[tynimiller]

Cutting him would be my first preferred option, unless the doctors were super optimistic and he was able to prove it in a practice gym. Even then, I wouldn't just let his current contract run its course. I would approach him with a restructure. A new contract that substantially reduces his cap hit over 3 years and adequately reflects the risk of keeping him on the roster. Load that thing up with no guaranteed or upfront money and a mostly incentive pay.

I personally predict in respect to Bakh he will get cut/released or restructured low cost to GB restructure.

The trade route I think only happens to the Jets as I bet only team he wants to play with if not GB

 

[milani]

To be fair clean outs are not the same level as true surgeries. I also doubt he is able to play at his high level still but just saying.

My take is that because of the $$ they may try to put him back on the field by next August. And by September he will be out again.

 

[Poppa San]

We are going to pay this dude for one more year regardless

Nope. Cut him in March and the Packers don't owe him a dime. The dead cap hit has already been paid.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Nope. Cut him in March and the Packers don't owe him a dime. The dead cap hit has already been paid.

Not really. While they wouldn't owe him any "money", he still would be a Dead Cap hit of $19,065,514 in 2024 if they release/trade him pre 6/1.

While it might be fine to just take that hit all at once, I wouldn't be opposed to a restructure to spread it out, but only on a salary that is reflective of the risk. Again, to me that is a vet min, with a bunch of incentive pay contract.

 

[Packerbacker1996]

Bakhtiari situation will depend on 3 major factors.

1 will this latest surgery and recovery actually do the job and enable him to play few more years without that knee being as issue.

2 does Bakhtiari actually want to still play, and does he want to play in GB

3 is Bakhtiari willing to take a significant paycut and sign a largely non guarantee contract and in this way give back some of what he has taken and not produced over the last couple of years.

Time will tell. Clearly if the man can play with issues then we defenitly want him back for another 3-5 years .

We shall see.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Bakhtiari situation will depend on 3 major factors.

1 will this latest surgery and recovery actually do the job and enable him to play few more years without that knee being as issue.

2 does Bakhtiari actually want to still play, and does he want to play in GB

3 is Bakhtiari willing to take a significant paycut and sign a largely non guarantee contract and on this way give vack some of what he has taken and not produced over the last couple of years.

Time will tell. Clearly if the man can play with issues then we defenitly want him back for another 3-5 years .

We shall see.

While I agree, those were pretty much the same questions that the Packers were facing before this season. Turns out, they made the wrong decision.

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

Packers can't gamble that kind of money with Bahk, cut/trade or restructure.

 

[Half Empty]

Maybe was a myth, but I appreciated Jordy Nelson saying something like "how much money do you really need?". For someone who's played with the Pack his whole career and is beloved by most, I keep hoping he'd look at the last few years of enormous income with minimal participation and be willing to really, really help out the team to the point where they could keep him and make everyone happy.

 

[tynimiller]

For everyone’s information, he publicly yesterday responded to a tweet that he does plan on playing next year and hopes to take Packers to next level

 

[Pkrjones]

To be fair clean outs are not the same level as true surgeries. I also doubt he is able to play at his high level still but just saying.

DB's latest surgery (after 1 game in '23) was a repair, not a cleanout. That knee is made of cadaver parts & suture thread...not made for 5 months of NFL abuse. Fools $$ to spend, imho.

 

[tynimiller]

DB's latest surgery (after 1 game in '23) was a repair, not a cleanout. That knee is made of cadaver parts & suture thread...not made for 5 months of NFL abuse. Fools $$ to spend, imho.

Again I wasn’t stating anything specific other than to refute the claim of total surgeries, as not all surgeries are same.

 

[Pkrjones]

The $19mil base salary, which is guaranteed IF he plays 1 snap in '24, pays the ENTIRE salary of 19 of our 3rd round & lower picks. Gute needs to stop rolling the dice & hoping and spend that $19mil wisely.

 

[milani]

For everyone’s information, he publicly yesterday responded to a tweet that he does plan on playing next year and hopes to take Packers to next level

He said that before. Twice. He wants to play but it may not be in his hands.

 

[tynimiller]

He said that before. Twice. He wants to play but it may not be in his hands.

Oh for sure not up to him honestly - his body and Green Bay control it.

 

[tynimiller]

The $19mil base salary, which is guaranteed IF he plays 1 snap in '24, pays the ENTIRE salary of 19 of our 3rd round & lower picks. Gute needs to stop rolling the dice & hoping and spend that $19mil wisely.

To be fair to Gute zero dice rolling occurred currently with Bakh, until this coming offseason cutting was not worth it fiscally.

 

[Krabs]

Not really. While they wouldn't owe him any "money", he still would be a Dead Cap hit of $19,065,514 in 2024 if they release/trade him pre 6/1.

While it might be fine to just take that hit all at once, I wouldn't be opposed to a restructure to spread it out, but only on a salary that is reflective of the risk. Again, to me that is a vet min, with a bunch of incentive pay contract.

This seems to be accurate.

Nope. Cut him in March and the Packers don't owe him a dime. The dead cap hit has already been paid.

This seems to be inaccurate.

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Overall, it was a bad contract. I wasn't in favor of it at the time either. I'm not in favor of giving a lot of players a 3rd contract due to injury.

 

[Pkrjones]

To be fair to Gute zero dice rolling occurred currently with Bakh, until this coming offseason cutting was not worth it fiscally.

I was under the impression this was a discussion on what to do with Bak moving forward? Pushing $ into the future by extending him is poor business. GB is underwater on approx $20mil and it'll cost another approx $20mil to "see" if he can make it back...imho, another poor decision.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I was under the impression this was a discussion on what to do with Bak moving forward? Pushing $ into the future by extending him is poor business. GB is underwater on approx $20mil and it'll cost another approx $20mil to "see" if he can make it back...imho, another poor decision.

I also remember switching gears on him. First thinking that cutting him before 2023 made no sense, but then Captain or someone else pointed out that it actually wasn't that far fetched. So yeah, I think if Gute had a Crystal Ball and knew Bahk wouldn't play this season, he would have been traded with Rodgers or later cut.

Maybe there is a site that shows "past" contract situations, ie. plug in a date and look at the contract from that point in time. I just haven't found one. The 2 sites I use, immediately start updating information as it changes and its next to impossible (for me) to figure out what it was by backtracking.

 

[Schultz]

I also remember switching gears on him. First thinking that cutting him before 2023 made no sense, but then Captain or someone else pointed out that it actually wasn't that far fetched. So yeah, I think if Gute had a Crystal Ball and knew Bahk wouldn't play this season, he would have been traded with Rodgers or later cut.

Maybe there is a site that shows "past" contract situations, ie. plug in a date and look at the contract from that point in time. I just haven't found one. The 2 sites I use, immediately start updating information as it changes and its next to impossible (for me) to figure out what it was by backtracking.

IMO Gute was confident Bakh would play a significant amount of snaps based on not drafting any OL.