Bryan Bulaga has been a stalwart on the Packers’ O-line since his rookie campaign in 2010. Though he has never made the Pro Bowl, he has been a consistently solid performer who has generally been able to keep star QB Aaron Rodgers clean, and 2019 was no exception.
The former first-round pick graded out as the 16th-best tackle in the league last year, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, and despite a couple of injury concerns during the season, he played a full 16-game slate for the first time since 2016. The O-line as a whole performed pretty well, and Bulaga was a big reason for that.
However, it looks like the Iowa product will be testing the free agent waters for the first time in his career. Tom Silverstein and Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report that the Packers have not had any talks with Bulaga’s camp since the end of the season, and while that could simply be a function of the uncertain CBA situation that has the entire league in limbo to some degree, the team does not appear to be interested in tagging Bulaga either.
Per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, it’s unlikely that Bulaga gets hit with the franchise tag, which comes at a value of $16.1MM. Theoretically, the slightly less expensive transition tag could be in play, but it sounds as though the Packers are simply prepared to cut ties.
Bulaga would become one of the better tackles available on the open market, and he stands to earn a sizable raise over the $6.8MM he took home in 2019.
Browns and Texans would makes sense as possible landing spots
As would the Broncos.
Cardinals too
But at 32 I doubt Bulaga wants to play on a rebuilding team and protect a very young QB.
Pretty sure he wants a big paycheck over everything. Otherwise he’d take a discount and stay with the team that just made the nfc champ game.
He’d have to be offered a deal to come back though. As of now that doesn’t appear to be happening. He would maybe need to make them an offer, and go from there.
No different than the Pack’s mentality with guys like TJ Lang or Josh Sitton or even going back to Scott Wells, they get rid of certain players/position groups a year earlier rather than a year late.
Be a shame to not see him holding to keep Erin clean. Hopefully the next guy can hold as good.
I agree with the browns and Texans are landing spots, but don’t count out the jets because they had as bad as a offensive line as the browns did this year!
Don’t count out the bears from adding Bulaga. That’s his hometown team and has always been a dream for him to play in Chicago.
It’s only taken 100 years but good offensive linemen finally have some strong financial leverage on the open market. Bulaga would be an upgrade for many teams.
He’s been a great player for the Packers when he can play. You better have a good back up for the games when he can’t play. If we could get him for 12 million a year for 3 years I’d do it but somebody will pay him more than that as a free agent.
I could see him landing with a familiar face, possibly with McCarthy and the Cowboys.
Good player but deffinently time for him to go unless he came back for less. He wont so let the next team overpay for him when he breaks down like all the other lineman have done when the Packers said audios!!