GREEN BAY, Wis. – David Bakhtiari is likely the next Green Bay Packers offensive lineman to warrant a contract extension.
Until then, the left tackle can take comfort in knowing that he received a pay raise for 2016 -- the final year of his rookie contract.
According to a provision in the rookie wage scale that was added to the collective bargaining agreement in 2011, players drafted in Rounds 3-7 can receive a “proven performance escalator” in their final year by playing at least 35 percent of the offensive or defensive snaps in two of their first three seasons.
Bakhtiari, a fourth-round pick in 2013 who has started all but three games (including playoffs) of his first three seasons, easily qualified. According to NFL Players Association salary records, Bakhtiari’s base salary for this coming season increased from $675,000 to $1.696 million.
Defensive back Micah Hyde, a fifth-round pick in 2013, also qualified for the same salary increase in 2016.
They are the only two players from that draft class eligible for the escalator. Interestingly, second-round pick Eddie Lacy will now make less money ($3,392,412) over his four-year rookie deal than Bakhtiari ($3,636,400). Lacy received a larger signing bonus ($847,208 to Bakhtiari’s $455,400), but as a second-round pick, is not eligible for the fourth-year bump.
The increases for Bakhtiari and Hyde also will be reflected in the Packers' salary cap for 2016.
Last year, defensive end Mike Daniels received the same salary escalator for his fourth season, and then late in the year, signed a four-year, $41 million extension.
The Packers will have some decisions to make on their offensive line soon, given that Bakhtiari plus starting guards T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton are entering the final seasons of their contracts. Bakhtiari could be in line for a monster contract so long as his level of play doesn’t drop off. He allowed just three sacks in 14 regular-season games in 2015. Left tackles who can protect like that are usually among the highest-paid offensive linemen in the game.