A rich market for Bryan Bulaga could mean the start of a new era at right tackle for the Green Bay Packers.
According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, Bulaga’s market price tag in free agency is conservatively projected at $12 million per year or more.
It’s increasingly possible that Bulaga, who turns 31 later this month, will find more money on the market than the Packers are willing to pay to bring him back on a third contract. A lack of communication between the two sides strongly suggests Bulaga, who has expressed his desire to return to Green Bay, will reach the start of the new league year without a new deal.
Bulaga is aging and has an extensive injury history, but he’s also played in 30 of the Packers’ last 32 regular season games and is coming off one of his best pro seasons. His toughness and reliability in pass protection will make him a valuable commodity for teams in need of help at offensive tackle, a premium position in today’s NFL.
Bulaga’s situation is looking more and more like T.J. Lang’s following the 2016 season. Lang was an unrestricted free agent coming off a Pro Bowl season, but the Packers balked at paying him market price and let him sign a lucrative deal with the Detroit Lions.
If Bulaga walks, the Packers will have to develop a plan to replace him, potentially starting with bringing back veteran Jared Veldheer and then using a high pick on a developmental offensive tackle.
Bulaga, a first-round pick from Iowa in 2010, replaced veteran Mark Tauscher after he went down with an injury during Bulaga’s rookie season. Bulaga has made 111 starts and played in 13 playoff games during his first 10 years in Green Bay. He started at right tackle during the Packers’ Super Bowl XLV win.
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