Time to Sell High on Bakhtiari/Dillon

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Time to Sell High on Bakhtiari/Dillon

Packers should be on the lookout for teams looking to make a move before the trade deadline.

Sep 22, 2023

We're officially three weeks into the Jordan Love Era in Green Bay and there's a lot to like. Unfortunately, there's also a lot that needs improvement (you're safe this week Joe Barry...barely). But you know what? That's okay because nobody has any real expectations for these 2023 Green Bay Packers outside of 1265 Lombardi Ave. If those 53 guys in the locker room believe a Super Bowl title is imminent great, but to quote a certain trending college football head coach right now, if they're also "about seven to eight dawgs away" that's great too. But like any of the other 31 teams in the league, the focus should always be on getting better each and every day.

This leads me to believe that "getting better" might just mean some addition by way of subtraction. While we're still only 3 weeks into the season, there's definitely been some wake-up calls for some clubs along with some justifying concern from their respective fan bases. This writer's got his own as well after seeing the first two performances of these young Packers out on the gridiron. And while I know I may be called a heretic, and maybe some even worse things that we don't allow on this website, I can't help but feel that the ongoing makeover of this team continues with the jettisoning of OT David Bakhtiari and RB A.J. Dillon.

To start with Bakhtiari, he's currently the oldest player on the roster as he turns 32 next week. He's shown that he's got plenty left in the tank but the question is what is the availability of all that talent. Bakhtiari was a scratch in the Packers' 24-25 loss to the Falcons last week due to swelling in his surgically repaired knee. I think it's safe to say that had Bakhtiari played he could have been worth a 1-point swing in the Packers' direction, but who's to say without him playing in the game? Reserve linemen Rasheed Walker and Yosh Nijman played adequately in relief, and I would prefer not to stymy Walker's development; especially for an aging player who may not be available when you really need him to be (Bakhtiari last played in the postseason in 2019).

But when he is on the field, David Bakhtiari is a premium offensive tackle. For teams who have porous offensive lines, his only being available for about 65% of the season may not necessarily matter. Of course, there have been multiple links to the Jets, and even though General Manager Brian Gutekunst emphasized that Bakhtiari is not available, what I admire most about him is that he's unafraid to correct himself when he finds he's wandered off the beaten path. Even with the converted salary maneuver into a signing bonus, that just means it makes it very, very easy to move Bakhtiari if he had to at only $1.9M; which clears up some cap room for the team's core veterans this offseason.

Ted Thompson selected Bakhtiari with a 4th Rounder out of Colorado back in 2013, I honestly don't think that's unreasonable compensation today, even at his "advanced age".

During the 2020 Draft when I heard A.J. Dillon's name called in the 2nd Round, I mumbled to myself, "welp, LaFleur's got his RB now, bye-bye Aaron Jones." But in my opinion, Dillon has only increased Jones' value on the team. I get that they're two totally different types of runners, but this offense is on a totally different type of time when #33 is lined up in the backfield. For Dillon as a runner, he's appeared to regress every year since 2020, going from 5.3 YPC to 2.6 YPC to date for 2023. He's on an upward tick as a receiver currently(8.3 YPC) but from 2020 - 2022 he's shown regression as well, backsliding from 10.5 YPC to 7.4 YPC. It's a small sample size, but based on the Atlanta game the offense seemed to sputter at times due to the lack of effectiveness in the run game where Dillon dominated the carries. Why preseason sensation Emmanuel Wilson only got 3 carries (I understand he struggled to) to try and get himself going was beyond me.

While the idea of Dillon being able to carry an offense or be a true RB1 may be just hopes and dreams at this point, he still has value to that the right team may want to capitalize on. Multiple marquee RBs have gone down already this year, and I'm sure there'll be more before it's all said and done. Gutekunst has all but said that Dillon is available, especially if it can net him disgruntled RB Johnathan Taylor from the Colts.

Dillon hasn't put up the kind of production that a 2nd Round Pick may normally have for an RB, so his value is really more of a "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" type way. A team that wants a big back who does have soft hands out of the backfield should be aplenty in this league but timing is key here. Either way, I'd love to see a 5th Rounder in return. Gutekunst may settle for a 6th or 7th, because if he lets Dillon walk in Free Agency, then he'll get nothing at all. Or...maybe it's time to give Dillon a William Henderson-type role in Green Bay (one of my favorite Packers of all time honestly)?

Will Bakhtiari play this week?

Can Dillon turn in a solid game?

We'll need both of them to do just that, as the Saints are a team that isn't to be trifled with; and should battle the Falcons all the way down the stretch for the NFC South title.

Joseph's Judgement returns next week

#GPG

Joseph has been an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers since 1997, citing an affinity for dairy products during his childhood and his favorite color, green. Born in Jacksonville, FL, Joseph currently is an Active Duty servicemember in the U.S. Armed Forces. Joseph considers himself a lifelong fan of the game of football, competing since his youth well into adulthood. When it comes to the Pack, Joseph is particularly impassioned about the NFL Draft and collegiate scouting process, and will contribute regularly on CHTV.com leading to that year's upcoming Draft. You can follow him on Twitter at @joeyreyallday.

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