Packers place offensive tackle Bakhtiari on injured reserve as he continues to deal with knee issue

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari was placed on injured reserve Thursday, his latest setback stemming from a knee injury that has required three surgeries and limited him for the past three years.

The Packers announced the move before their Thursday night game with the Detroit Lions. Bakhtiari, who already had missed Green Bay’s past two games, now must sit out at least the Packers’ next four matchups as well starting against the Lions. He is eligible to return Nov. 5 against the Rams.

In other injury-related news, Packers wide receiver Christian Watson will make his season debut Thursday and running back Aaron Jones will return from a two-game absence after both dealt with hamstring injuries.

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (thigh bruise) and offensive tackle Taylor Decker (ankle) also are available after each missed a game.

The Packers won’t have cornerback Jaire Alexander, who is missing a second straight game with a back injury.

Bakhtiari, 31, is one of the NFL’s top pass blockers when healthy. He was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2018 and 2020, and he received second-team honors in 2016, 2017, and 2019.

But he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Dec. 31, 2020, and has been dealing with issues in that knee ever since.

The knee injury caused him to play just one game during the 2021 season. He played 11 games last season, sitting out three because of his knee injury and three more to recover from an appendectomy.

He started and performed well in a season-opening 38-20 victory at Chicago this season, but he hasn’t played since.

“I would love to put this in the rearview mirror but maybe it’s just something that I’ll have to deal with till something else — intervention comes in that can eradicate it, because it’s been a perpetuating annoyance that I’ve had to shoulder here since 2021,” Bakhtiari said on Sept. 20.

The Packers also are playing without left guard Elgton Jenkins, who will miss a second straight game Thursday after spraining his medial collateral ligament in a 25-24 loss at Atlanta in Week 2.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl