The Green Bay Packersdidn't want to payJosh Sitton, but they ponied up the dough to lock down their starting left tackle.
The team announced Tuesday that they signed David Bakhtiari. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported it is a four-year extension worth up to $51.67 million. The new money averages to $12 million per season, which places Bakhtiari in the top five for offensive linemen.
The fourth-round pick in 2013 started immediately as a rookie, starting in 47 of a possible 49 regular season games (his first missed contests of his career came last year), and displayed the traits of a building-block blind-side blocker from the onset.
Bakhtiari has performed well on Aaron Rodgers' blind side and is still improving just four years into his young career. Thompson locked down one of the best young offensive tackles to what should look like a bargain in about seven months.
The Packers prioritized an extension for the 25-year-old left tackle -- and 25-year-old center JC Tretter will likely be next -- over a new deal for the 30-year-old Sitton, who was surprisingly released earlier this month.
Bakhtiari owns the size and athleticism to keep speed pass rushers like Ziggy Ansah and Everson Griffen off Rodgers' back. With a new deal that keeps him in Green Bay through 2020, the Packers made sure their rising left tackle wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.