James GordonGREEN BAGS, Wiseass. — David Bakhtiari tweeted a smiling face late Saturday night before the Green Bay Packers game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Only a few of the elected officials knew why he was so happy.
The All-Pro not only came back with broken ribs, but also as the highest paid offensive ship in the history of the NFL.
Just before bedtime, Bakhtiari signed a four-year contract that, according to an ESPN source, could cost up to $105.5 million.
Shortly after Sunday’s victory, the 24-20 Lambeau Field Packers announced the renewal of their contract. The base value of the deal is $103.5 million with an additional $2 million in incentive payments and includes the highest signing bonus, $30 million paid before the end of the 2020 season for the offensive lining, the source said, adding that total cash flow is $37,052 million in the first year and $64.5 million in the first three years.
An average of $23 million in new money is a record for an offensive lining. The contract that Laremie Toonsil signed with the Houstonians in May is worth an average of $22 million a year.
ProFootballTalk.com reported an expansion of Bakhtiari for the first time.
It’s something I’ve been striving for for some time, Bakhtiari said. Talking to my family, having this monetary recognition for all the hard work I’ve done has really meant a lot, and it’s something I can hold on to and keep for the rest of my life. It’s something special I’ve been looking for since I’ve been in the league. I have goals, very high goals, and I’ve always wanted to say that I was the highest paid advance in the history of the NFL, and today I can say that.
The 29-year-old, who took part in the fourth selection round for previous CEO Ted Thompson in 2013, was the first or second All-Pro team in each of the past four years. During the interview, after Sunday’s match, Bakhtiari had to pull himself together several times after emotional experiences.
Four years ago Bakhtiari renewed his contract with Jaguar shortly before the opening of the season.
I’m thankful they put me in 13th grade. They took the risk to put me in the fourth round and gave me the blind side that made me one of the five highest paid left wings. Now I’m the highest paid winger, especially because it’s a great honor to do it with a team, Bakhtiari said. I really appreciate that and I love being here and I love representing Packers. … Few people start such a long career in a professional field in the course of their professional career. The work is still ahead of me, but I continue at the same pace and at the same time, and it is much appreciated.
The deal probably means that no matter how long Aaron Rogers quarterback is for the Packers, Aaron Rogers will have Bakhtiari to protect him. Since the start of the 2017 season, Bakhtiary has been the number one in ESPN’s fitting block when it comes to overall victories.
I knew some of the conversations that were going on and wondered what we wanted to achieve by the end of the year. Clearly, the packaging seems to have brought some advantage to the organization in the long run, the best left hand in the game, perhaps the future Hall of Famer, said Rogers. I’m very happy for him.
This is the second blockbuster of Executive Director Brian Gutekunst since the start of the training camp. In August, he signed a four-year extension agreement with Kenny Clarke for $70 million.
Gutecunst said the expansion of Bakhtiari will not prevent the Green Bay from drawing more players in a group that includes defenders Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, center-back Cori Linsley and quarterback Kevin King.
I think that was actually an important part of what we were trying to do, Gutekünst said.
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