Bryan Bulaga

[Patler]

I really don't know what to expect (hope for) from this guy. Seeing what the Packers do with him will be interesting. A few relevant considerations:

- Entering his 5th year already, but
- Just turned 25 years old in March
- Hasn't played in a game since Nov. 4, 2012.
- In 2010 looked to be unseating Colledge at LG until an injury ended his preseason. Started at RT from game 5 on.
- In 2011 missed games 4, 5 15 and 16.
- In 2012 started rather poorly, seemed to be getting it together until his season ended in game 9.
- Hasn't played since.

The team has played 60 regular season games since he became a starter in 2010. He has been available for only 33 of those games.

Let's assume he plays well in 2014, again misses 3 or 4 games during the season, but is still playing at the end of the season (you know, starts in the Super Bowl!) How much is he worth? What kind of a contract do you offer a 26 year old with 5 years longevity, all as a decent starter but who can not be counted on for the entire season?

If Sherrod appears physically recovered, seems to be a capable starter but maybe not as good as Bulaga, do you try to keep him and let Bulaga leave?

Personally, I hope TT finds an OT gem in the draft so they can let Bulaga leave in FA. I just don't think I will have confidence in his availability. Having Matthews is enough.

[mraynrand]

Great thread title. Drew me in!

I still have these visions in my head of Bulaga playing like total crap against Seattle in the 'fail mary' game. I'm glad the Packers have a number of tackles to compete for the starting position. I have no idea how well this guy will play.

[woodbuck27]

I really don't know what to expect (hope for) from this guy. Seeing what the Packers do with him will be interesting. A few relevant considerations:

- Entering his 5th year already, but
- Just turned 25 years old in March
- Hasn't played in a game since Nov. 4, 2012.
- In 2010 looked to be unseating Colledge at LG until an injury ended his preseason. Started at RT from game 5 on.
- In 2011 missed games 4, 5 15 and 16.
- In 2012 started rather poorly, seemed to be getting it together until his season ended in game 9.
- Hasn't played since.

The team has played 60 regular season games since he became a starter in 2010. He has been available for only 33 of those games.

Let's assume he plays well in 2014, again misses 3 or 4 games during the season, but is still playing at the end of the season (you know, starts in the Super Bowl!) How much is he worth? What kind of a contract do you offer a 26 year old with 5 years longevity, all as a decent starter but who can not be counted on for the entire season?

If Sherrod appears physically recovered, seems to be a capable starter but maybe not as good as Bulaga, do you try to keep him and let Bulaga leave?

Personally, I hope TT finds an OT gem in the draft so they can let Bulaga leave in FA. I just don't think I will have confidence in his availability. Having Matthews is enough.

He's just one of many we'll have all eyes on all season.

[smuggler]

This is probably his last season in Green Bay.

1. Injury prone.
2. While he is a good player, he is not elite.
3. He will command a lot more money than he probably should in free agency.

[KYPack]

Great thread title. Drew me in!

I still have these visions in my head of Bulaga playing like total crap against Seattle in the 'fail mary' game. I'm glad the Packers have a number of tackles to compete for the starting position. I have no idea how well this guy will play.

That was BB's fugliest game.

My impression of him he is a C student. He's a hard worker and stays in great shape. He's not all that athletic and holds his own vs average competition. Against the elite, his average skills show up and he tends to freak out and lose it. He is probably a sometime starter and a guy who can play multiple positions. He will probably help somebody, but I dunno if that team is the GBP.

[Patler]

Great thread title. Drew me in!

Thanks, I do spend a lot of time trying to get just the right hook to draw people in.
I agonized over this one a lot. ("Bulaga"? "B. Bulaga"? "BB"?) But the time was well-spent. Seven minutes after I started the thread, your response was entered.

[Patler]

That was BB's fugliest game.

My impression of him he is a C student. He's a hard worker and stays in great shape. He's not all that athletic and holds his own vs average competition. Against the elite, his average skills show up and he tends to freak out and lose it. He is probably a sometime starter and a guy who can play multiple positions. He will probably help somebody, but I dunno if that team is the GBP.

Really? Just a "C" and a sometime starter?
I thought he was pretty good in 2011, and in 2012 except for those couple early season games. I'm not advocating him to be named All-Pro, but if he is healthy I think of him as a solid starter.

[wist43]

I had completely forgotten about him, lol...

[MadScientist]

If he misses any time this year, or regresses any, he won't get a big offer from anyone. If he plays well but misses 3-4 games, the Packers can probably get him for a year on a make-good contract a la Raji, or sign him to a 2-3 year deal at a reasonable rate with most of the bonuses doled out on a per game basis.

It's possible that he gets injured early an Sherrod steps up making signing Bulaga irrelevant, but that isn't hugely likely and doesn't change the scenario for the Packers, only the name.

[mraynrand]

Thanks, I do spend a lot of time trying to get just the right hook to draw people in.
I agonized over this one a lot. ("Bulaga"? "B. Bulaga"? "BB"?) But the time was well-spent. Seven minutes after I started the thread, your response was entered.

[Fritz]

If he misses any time this year, or regresses any, he won't get a big offer from anyone. If he plays well but misses 3-4 games, the Packers can probably get him for a year on a make-good contract a la Raji, or sign him to a 2-3 year deal at a reasonable rate with most of the bonuses doled out on a per game basis.

It's possible that he gets injured early an Sherrod steps up making signing Bulaga irrelevant, but that isn't hugely likely and doesn't change the scenario for the Packers, only the name.

I am not sold on Bulaga, mostly because he keeps getting hurt, as opposed to Sherrod, who got hurt once, very badly. Why that seems better than Bulaga's regularly getting hurt, I don't know, but it does.

Bulaga seems a solid right tackle, but not built to take on the speedy rushers, whom I think appear more often in front of a left tackle.

If he can cobble together a season like the one Patler described, and if Sherrod stays healthy this season, I'd keep Sherrod and let Bulaga go to the Arizona Cardinals, or whoever it is that will overpay for him.

[KYPack]

Really? Just a "C" and a sometime starter?
I thought he was pretty good in 2011, and in 2012 except for those couple early season games. I'm not advocating him to be named All-Pro, but if he is healthy I think of him as a solid starter.

The "sometime" is bc he's hurt a lot. I think he's a RT or a G. I could see him going to a club that wants a guy who can play multi positions and always give full effort. The awful game he had for us was at RT. He might be a RT for some teams, maybe us. But I can't see him getting starting T money. Hopefully, he's learned a lot in his downtime.

If he blossoms for us, it'll be a big bonus. If that happens, I'll cheerfully upgrade him to a "B" kinda guy. He has played pretty well for us, but I don't recall him taking on another team's "bull" and neutralizing him.

[run pMc]

Big year for Bulaga. If he stays healthy, he's a solid to above-average RT that could get a big contract elsewhere. I think they'd like to keep him and will try unless the bidding gets crazy, which is possible. It only takes one club, and Reggie McKenzie still has a job.

Availability will be a big negotiating hurdle for the next contract. If he can't stay healthy TT will move on, or at least add more competition. Barclay is not the long term answer at RT, and you can't make the club if you're always in the tub.

[pbmax]

The issue isn't just that Seattle game. Seattle can make offenses look bad. He looked bad the whole start of the season. It was a real shock. He wasn't a turnstile, but he kept getting beat.

[Just Jeff]

Like my dad used to tell me in front of the team each week, from the youngest age I can remember, "you no play, you no good"

[Guiness]

What puzzles me is that he was anointed the starting LT last offseason - tells me MM thinks pretty highly of him. Of course, there weren't a lot of obvious options, I doubt Bak starting all 16 games as a rookie was even a thought.

[mraynrand]

Like my dad used to tell me in front of the team each week, from the youngest age I can remember, "you no play, you no good"

Did he teach English at the High School?

[Just Jeff]

Did he teach English at the High School?

I also post on a few of the more vaginal packers forums and that would be grounds for a permanent IP ban.

[bobblehead]

That was BB's fugliest game.

My impression of him he is a C student. He's a hard worker and stays in great shape. He's not all that athletic and holds his own vs average competition. Against the elite, his average skills show up and he tends to freak out and lose it. He is probably a sometime starter and a guy who can play multiple positions. He will probably help somebody, but I dunno if that team is the GBP.

I will sum it up....I long for Daryn College.

[bobblehead]

The issue isn't just that Seattle game. Seattle can make offenses look bad. He looked bad the whole start of the season. It was a real shock. He wasn't a turnstile, but he kept getting beat.

I am pretty sure people are overvaluing Barclay and Bahk because they keep comparing them to Newhouse.