The Dallas Cowboys have made some questionable decisions in the past decade, but there is one area they have been elite: the offensive line. Dallas has been able to draft and develop elite offensive linemen, which has allowed their offense to flourish. This year, there are some questions surrounding the unit. While there are still quality pieces, the group is thin. One Cowboys analyst is encouraging the team to sign former Green Bay Packers All-Pro offensive tackle David Bakhtiari in free agency.
Dallas Cowboys Encouraged To Add David Bakhtiari
There is no question that when he is healthy, David Bakhtiari is one of the best tackles in the game of football. He has made five All-Pro teams in his career. However, his health has been an issue for the past three years. Bakhtiari tore his ACL in 2020 and hasn’t looked the same since. This does not mean he does not have value for the Dallas Cowboys. Reid Hanson of Cowboys Wire had this to say about Bakhtiari.
“A terrible knee injury late in 2020 ended all of that and Bakhtiari has undergone surgery after surgery in an effort to regain his once-elite status. Over the past three seasons he’s been great when he’s played. The problem is he’s only played 13 games.
Moving Smith from guard to LT isn’t an ideal solution if Guyton struggles. And there’s no telling if Waletzko or Richards would be better than a struggling Steele. Having a veteran like Bakhtiari available in relief would be far more comforting.”
The Dallas Cowboys wouldn’t be bringing David Bakhtiari in to start. He would be a veteran presence as well as insurance if rookie Tyler Guyton struggled or if an injury happened. In Green Bay, he was a great locker room guy, and he already has a rapport with head coach Mike McCarthy.
Good Idea Or Bad Idea?
It’s certainly a risk for the Dallas Cowboys. Last year, David Bakhtiari played in one game before having to miss the rest of the season because of another knee surgery. His ACL tear was not a normal one. Having two seasons with only one start in the past three years is not great. However, the Cowboys are in win-now mode. Signing Bakhtiari would be a win-now move. They should throw the kitchen sink at this season to try and make a run with this group.
This is the most interesting time in free agency for the NFL. There are still plenty of quality free agents out there that the Dallas Cowboys could sign. While they may pass on David Bakhtiari, there are other players who could benefit the team. It will be interesting to see what Jerry Jones decides to do in the rest of the offseason.
