5 free agents the Commanders must target after 2024 minicamp
By James Dudko
Commanders should consider signing David Bakhtiari
As injury risks go, David Bakhtiari is at the high end of the scale. Yet, the Washington Commanders should be willing to take a risk to get better at left tackle.
Cornelius Lucas and rookie Brandon Coleman aren't going to get it done at arguably the second-most important position in today's game. Trusting an unproven or uncertain player to be the blindside protector for would-be franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels is beyond reckless.
Better to give Bakhtiari the chance to prove he can get back to full strength. Especially since the 32-year-old already knows how to handle the responsibility of keeping the face of a franchise unmarked.
It's a different kind of pressure, but Bakhtiari handled it well when he was covering Aaron Rodgers' blindside for years with the Green Bay Packers. He was one of the steadiest bulwarks against pressure in the league.
That was before a torn ACL and several subsequent surgeries laid this natural quarterback's minder low. Knee problems persisted last season, but Bakhtiari has a strong enough pedigree for the Commanders to roll the dice and see what he has left.
If nothing else, the former two-time first-team All-Pro would provide some credible insurance behind either Lucas or Coleman. Sufficient strength in depth at the key spot along the line could make or break Daniels' chances of accelerating the Commanders' rebuilding efforts.
Settling down a volatile rotation with established talent also makes sense at another position.