If the Green Bay Packers abandon their All-Pro status, a massive legal issue will arise.

Several All-Pro players have left the Green Bay Packers in recent seasons. Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams are at the top of the list. With the Packers’ unofficial “youth movement” this offseason, it is feasible that the organization will choose to release a couple more former All-Pros. However, one of these could lead to legal complications.

If the Green Bay Packers decide to release David Bakhtiari, they may face an injury grievance.

Ken Ingalls of the Packers’ cap analyst says:

If the Packers release David Bakhtiari before he has passed his physical, he will:

At the very least, qualifies for Injury Protection, with a $1.230M maximum in 2024.
Can file an Injury Grievance for his 2024 salary of $21.5M – $8.6M (40%) and have the remainder reconciled immediately.
Ingalls also mentioned a talk he had with someone who is familiar with these types of scenarios:

Essentially, if the Packers fire Bakhtiari, he can argue it was because the Packers made a mistake, and because of how long he has been dealing with it, he may have a case. If a claim is lodged and not quickly dismissed, the Packers must carry 40% of the claim amount on their cap until it is adjudicated – which might take years.

Would the Packers let Bakhtiari go?

The Green Bay Packers and David Bakhtiari have had a turbulent two years. Bakhtiari will miss the rest of the 2023 NFL season with the Green Bay Packers. A cartilage problem has developed in his surgically repaired left knee, necessitating a fifth procedure. Bakhtiari’s final game as a Packers player could have been the Week One victory over the Chicago Bears.

Bakhtiari will have a cap hit of more over $40 million in 2024, but a dead cap hit of “only” $19 million (injury grievance excluded). Even if his knee had not flare up again, Bakhtiari would have been unlikely to stay with the Packers beyond this season.

The former All-Pro left tackle says he want to play in 2024, whether with the Packers or someone else. Bakhtiari’s release is a genuine possibility for this team heading into next season. The optimal case is to do it following a physical (if possible).