[jwplayer 99PZYacN]
Bryan Bulaga is another name the Cincinnati Bengals could end up pursuing in 2020 NFL free agency.
The offensive line is a need (perhaps not as much as defense) and securing one of the tackle spots might be a goal.
Here’s a profile on Bulaga.
Other free-agent profiles: Derek Wolfe, Joe Schobert, Joe Thuney.
Background
Bulaga is a well-known veteran tackle who entered the league in 2010 as a first-round pick and has only played for the Green Bay Packers. He spent his college days at Iowa and will turn 31 years old right around when the market opens this month.
Notes
Quietly, Bulaga has never had a great attendance sheet. He’s played in a full 16-game season just three times — including last season. He played in 14 games in 2018 and five in 2017. Even so, last year he graded at 77.8 at Pro Football Focus and 75.0, numbers about in line where he has typically graded. He was called for six penalties last year, down from eight the year prior. It doesn’t look like he’s regressing much — but he has to be healthy.
Pros
Bulaga should 100 percent be on the open market as it was revealed at the combine the two sides hadn’t had any formal discussions.
The veteran would arrive in Cincinnati as the surefire starter on the right side. He’s the best right tackle on the market behind Jack Conklin. Compare his grades over the last two seasons to Bobby Hart’s 57.7 last year — he’s that big of an upgrade.
It’s not a bad thing to lock down right tackle at a big cost here, as it trim down the number of needs limited draft picks need to hit. Bulaga would also mean the stabilization of both tackle spots (Jonah Williams to left tackle) in front of a rookie quarterback. Both guard spots would still be question marks, but theoretically, Bulaga’s quality play could help along the right guard.
For what it’s worth, Bulaga was also listed as the perfect free-agent fit for the Bengals.
Cons
That note about no formal discussions with the Packers? There’s a reason for it, as Bulaga is over the age of 30 and has a spotty injury history. If the Packers aren’t willing to pay up in front of Aaron Rodgers, why should the Bengals?
Besides the obvious potential for a dropoff and the durability issue, Bulaga is going to be quite costly. Spotrac has it at an average annual salary of $10.8 million over three years. While it isn’t terrible if one could guarantee quality of play and attendance, it would also pretty much take the Bengals out of the running for any other free agent.
Verdict
Are the Bengals desperate enough? Or are they comfortable with more gambles on Hart? Hints say they’re not, but Bulaga is one of the only avenues toward a meaningful upgrade right now as a rookie passer arrives. That should be reason enough to go ahead and cough up the cash if Bulaga is interested, as it will help keep the rookie healthy and give the front office more time to find an actual long-term solution. It’s a big risk, but past mistakes have put the Bengals in the sort of position where they need to take some.
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