Tag: Bryan Bulaga

One final ‘Bryan Bulaga, Iowa’ from now retired Packers OT

Bryan Bulaga retired from the NFL on Friday as a member of the Packers. It called for a fitting sendoff.

“Bryan Bulaga, Iowa.”

The retirement of former Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga on Friday required a final sendoff, and there was no better way than his famous primetime phrase.

“Bryan Bulaga, Iowa.”

Bulaga, a starter at right tackle for the Packers for almost a decade, became an Internet sensation during his playing career in Green Bay for his deadpanned introduction during Sunday primetime games.

“I don’t think people are ever going to let me live down the ‘Bryan Bulaga, Iowa,’ which is fine, I think it’s funny,” Bulaga said Friday.

Over the years, Bulaga’s hilarious intro became a tradition for the Packers, who often played several primetime games on Sunday night per year during the dominant Aaron Rodgers era. Every nationally televised game on NBC provided an opportunity to hear Bulaga’s intro.

On Ftiday, the team’s social media account got Bulaga to say it one more time:

Bulaga retired from the NFL as a member of the Packers on Friday. A first-round pick in 2010 and a part of the Super Bowl XLV-winning team, Bulaga spent 10 seasons in Green Bay from 2010 to 2019. He signed with the Chargers in 2020 and finished his career in Los Angeles.

OT Bryan Bulaga to retire from NFL as a Packer

Bryan Bulaga, a first-round pick in 2010 and Super Bowl champion, will retire from the NFL as a member of the Packers on Friday.

Offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, a first-round pick in the 2010 draft and Super Bowl champion, announced his decision to retire from the NFL as a member of the Green Bay Packers on Thursday.

Bulaga will be in Green Bay for media availability on Friday.

The Packers made Bulaga the 23rd overall pick in the 2010 draft. He went on to make 124 total starts for the Packers, including a start at right tackle during Green Bay’s win in Super Bowl XLV.

While with the Packers, Bulaga played almost 7,000 regular-season snaps on offense and was the starting right tackle for many of the dominant Packers offenses of the decade.

Bulaga never made a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, but he was a member of the 2010 All-Rookie team.

According to Pro Football Focus, Bulaga allowed only 41 sacks over 4,000 pass-blocking snaps while in Green Bay. For much of the 2010s, Bulaga and left tackle David Bakhtiari formed the league’s best pass-blocking offensive tackle duo.

After his contract expired in Green Bay following the 2019 season, Bulaga signed with the Los Angeles Chargers and made 11 starts for the team between 2020 and 2021. He suffered a season-ending injury after just one game in 2021 and has been out of football the last two seasons.

Bryan Bulaga thinks Packers should move Elgton Jenkins back to left guard

In Bryan Bulaga’s opinion, the Packers should move Elgton Jenkins back to left guard and then start some combination of Jon Runyan, Yosh Nijman or Zach Tom on the right side.

Bryan Bulaga, who played under Matt LaFleur and Adam Stenavich in Green Bay during the 2019 season, has an idea for helping fix the Packers offensive line moving forward: move Elgton Jenkins back to left guard.

Bulaga provided his opinion on the situation during an appearance on ESPN’s “Wilde and Tausch” show.

“If it’s me, I’m looking to move Elgton right back next to Dave (Bakhtiari), where he’s had his most success at left guard,” Bulaga said. “Then probably move (Jon) Runyan out to right guard, then who you put at right tackle, whether it’s Yosh (Nijman) or rookie Zach Tom.”

Jenkins, who is still coming back from a torn ACL suffered last season, has started the last five games at right tackle, a relatively new position for the 2020 Pro Bowler.

Although Jenkins has been dominant at times in the run game, his struggles in the passing game – especially this past week against the New York Jets – might tempt the Packers to shuffling around the offensive line. Jenkins has allowed 12 pressures and committed three penalties in just over 300 snaps.

Coach Matt LaFleur said “everything” is on the table in terms of offensive line configuration.

In 2020, Jenkins was a Pro Bowler while playing primarily at left guard next to Bakhtiari, an All-Pro. Could a switch back to guard revive his season and immediately improve the Packers offensive line?

“That’s what I would do because I know Elgton, and I know how good of a player he is, and to see him struggle a little bit, that’s not like him,” Bulaga said.

Bulaga, who is currently a free agent, admitted switching side of the offensive line is difficult. Moving Jenkins to the left side while inserting Runyan and Nijman on the right side would require a lot of moving parts in a short timespan.

And to do so against Washington’s “nightmare” defensive front, featuring the likes of Montez Sweat and Jonathan Allen, would be a “tough task,” Bulaga said. Runyan has settled in as the starter at left guard over the last two seasons, and most of Nijman’s work has come at left tackle as the backup for Bakhtiari, so asking both to flip in the same week could be extra difficult.

But the Packers need to make a change, both to help Jenkins and remove the obvious weak link at right guard.

The current configuration isn’t working. The Packers are really over-reactionary, but now is the time. At 3-3, LaFleur’s team can’t afford to throw away any more games, and the play of the offensive line is holding back the entire offense. Change could be coming.

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How many Iowa Hawkeyes have been first-round NFL draft picks under Kirk Ferentz?

How many first-round NFL draft selections has Iowa had under head coach Kirk Ferentz? Here’s a look at that list for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Iowa appears poised to see another Hawkeye as a first-round selection once the 2022 NFL draft rolls around on April 28. According to recent mock draft projections, Iowa center [autotag]Tyler Linderbaum[/autotag] looks like a solid bet to wind up as a first-round NFL draft pick.

If he’s selected in the first round, Linderbaum would represent the 11th player taken in the first round of the NFL draft in the [autotag]Kirk Ferentz[/autotag] era. How many of the players can you name and what does the full list look like?

Let’s take a look at all of Iowa’s first round NFL draft picks with Ferentz as head coach.

5 free agents the Chargers could consider to replace Bryan Bulaga

The Chargers released Bryan Bulaga on Tuesday, leaving free agency as a potential outlet to find his replacement.

The Chargers released Bryan Bulaga on Tuesday.

Los Angeles returns Storm Norton, who played in place of the injured Bulaga this past season. However, Norton had his fair share of struggles, which means the team may elect to go with a stop-gap veteran.

Should the Bolts explore that option, here’s a look at five free agents that would make sense.

 

Chargers releasing OT Bryan Bulaga

The Chargers will save $10.7 million against the cap by cutting Bryan Bulaga.

The Chargers are releasing offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga.

The team will save $10.7 million against the cap by cutting Bulaga.

Bulaga signed a three-year, $30 million contract last year with the hopes of supplying sustainability at the right tackle spot.

However, Bulaga’s first season with the team was cut to 10 games as he dealt with various injuries.

In his second year with Los Angeles, Bulaga played in just two quarters of the season opener after suffering an injury that landed him on the injured reserve.

Bulaga had surgery on his core muscle and never returned to the field, despite starting to work on the practice field in November.

Now, the Chargers’ attention will turn to either signing a veteran or drafting one to compete with Storm Norton and Trey Pipkins for the starting job in 2022.

Chargers’ salary cap space situation entering free agency

Looking at how much the Chargers have in spendings heading into free agency.

The NFL’s legal tampering period opens up on Monday at 1 pm PT, with the new league year and free agency officially beginning on Wednesday.

Up to this point, the Chargers have been active, re-signing wide receiver Mike Williams and kicker Dustin Hopkins and trading for edge defender Khalil Mack.

After starting with the fourth-most salary cap space, Los Angeles has the 13th-most at $20.56 million, according to Over The Cap.

This accounts for Williams’ and Hopkins’ cap hit ($14 million) and $1.92 million, respectively, taking on Mack’s ($17.75 million).

The Bolts can free up some space if they decide to release some of their own, with tackle Bryan Bulaga being a cut-causality candidate. If they choose to let go of him, they will save $10.8 million.

Chargers’ biggest positions of need entering free agency

Highlighting the Los Angeles Chargers’ biggest positional needs heading into free agency.

The Senior Bowl and Scouting Combine are behind us, and the attention has turned to free agency, where the Chargers will look to reshape their roster with players already in the league and get the team ready for the 2022 season.

What positions should we anticipate general manager Tom Telesco to address during this period? Here’s a look at the most pressing needs for the Bolts heading into free agency.

Defensive tackle: The Chargers finished with the third-worst run defense in the league, and a lot of it has to do with the lack of talent in the trenches. Further, Linval Joseph, Justin Jones, and Christian Covington are all slated to be free agents. Akiem Hicks, D.J. Jones, Folorunso Fatukasi are just among the few interior defenders they could target.

Cornerback: Asante Samuel Jr. proved to be the team’s best cornerback in just his first season, but he had two concussions, and he could be moved inside the slot next season. Michael Davis played well, but nothing to warrant the money he was paid last offseason. Chris Harris Jr. will be a free agent. They need a plug-and-play starter on the outside and a few depth pieces.

Right tackle: Bryan Bulaga is still under contract, but he is a potential cap casualty after dealing with injuries during his time with L.A. Storm Norton’s poor play against the Raiders exemplified that he isn’t reliable enough to be counted on as a long-term starter. Trey Pipkins played well in his two starts and should be given a shot to compete for the job in the summer, but the team still needs a bonafide starter to protect Justin Herbert.

Right guard: In the five games as the starter, Oday Aboushi was a difference-maker. Unfortunately, his one-year stint was cut short after suffering a torn ACL. Aboushi is a candidate to be brought back. But if the Chargers move on from him, they will need someone to compete for the job, possibly with Brenden Jaimes.

Running back: Austin Ekeler thrived in his first season under Joe Lombardi, reaching 20 total touchdowns, which tied for the most this season. However, he will need a running mate moving forward to ensure longevity, and that guy doesn’t appear to be on the roster. Coming into his own late in the season, Justin Jackson will be a free agent. Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree had their opportunities but left a lot to be desired.

Wide receiver: The Chargers have a strong core heading into the season with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, who was recently extended, and Josh Palmer. However, one thing is sure: Los Angeles still needs a speed/yards-after-the-catch weapon.

10 most-expensive Chargers against 2022 salary cap

There are some Chargers players with some hefty cap hits heading into 2022. Could any of them be potential cap casualties?

The Chargers face a very favorable salary cap situation entering the 2022 offseason. The team is projected to have approximately $68.4 million in cap space ahead of free agency, according to figures from Over The Cap.

Los Angeles has plenty of room to be aggressive if they wish. But before that, the Bolts will have to figure out what they’re going to do with some of their internal free agents, and if a decent portion of the money goes to them, they could choose to make some cuts to get back what they lose.

With that being said, let’s take a look at the top-10 players who are eating up the most cap space for the 2022 Chargers:

1. EDGE Joey Bosa

Salary Cap Hit: $28,250,000

2. WR Keenan Allen

Salary Cap Hit: $19,200,000

3. OT Bryan Bulaga

Salary Cap Hit: $14,083,334

4. C Corey Linsley

Salary Cap Hit: $11,600,000

5. CB Michael Davis

Salary Cap Hit: $9,352,935

6. S Derwin James

Salary Cap Hit: $9,052,000

7. OT Matt Feiler

Salary Cap Hit: $7,500,000

8. QB Justin Herbert

Salary Cap Hit: $7,248,751

9. RB Austin Ekeler

Salary Cap Hit: $6,500,000

10. OT Rashawn Slater

Salary Cap Hit: $3,779,945

Bottom Line: Out of the bunch, Bulaga is the only likely candidate to be released. Bulaga was signed last year with the hopes of supplying sustainability at the right tackle position. But considering his time with the Chargers has been ridiculed by injuries, playing in 11 out 33 games, cutting him and signing or drafting one to fortify the offensive line may be the ideal scenario.

Checking in on the status of Chargers OT Bryan Bulaga

The Chargers remain hopeful that Bryan Bulaga can still return at some point this season.

Offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga was on a clear path to a fresh start after spending most of his first season with the Chargers on the sidelines. But, unfortunately, that did not come to fruition.

After playing just two quarters in the season opener against Washington, Bulaga suffered an injury that landed him on the injured reserve.

It has been over a month since Bulaga had surgery on his core muscle, and the question still looms whether or not he will play again this season.

Head coach Brandon Staley said the team is still hopeful that Bulaga returns at some point, adding that they’re right towards the end of maybe initiating that time frame to get him activated.

Earlier in November, Staley said that Bulaga started working out on the practice field, but he still had a ways to go.

In the meantime, Storm Norton will remain the team’s starting right tackle. In 11 games, Norton has allowed 39 pressures and five sacks.

Bulaga signed a three-year, $30 million contract last year with the hopes of supplying sustainability. But considering how his tenure with the team has played out, cutting him and saving $11 million against the cap is a possibility.

The Chargers could then address the right tackle position early in next year’s draft or sign another veteran to fill the void.