The Hunt For Bryan Bulaga
March 8th, 2015
A report puts the Bucs in the hunt for Packers T Bryan Bulaga.
Some in the Tampa Bay area think the Bucs’ offensive line, while subpar, has a chance to rebound. Those outside the Tampa Bay area think the offensive line is a woebegone outfit in need of a full and total retool.
There is no question the Bucs need help. And if you enjoy rumors, unsourced, undocumented rumors, then Joe has a juicy one for you.
Per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga is seeking upwards of $8 million a year. Silverstein writes the Bucs are one of three teams willing to cough up that kind of cash for his services.
Two league sources familiar with the offensive tackle market said that they have been told that Bulaga is seeking a deal worth between $7 million and $8 million and has a good chance of receiving it.
Bulaga, an unrestricted free agent, is considered the top tackle in free agency and may reach his number because there are teams who believe he can start at left tackle. The teams most often mentioned in agent circles who have interest in Bulaga are Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and Washington.
If one of those teams, or someone else, offers Bulaga $7.5-$8 million, the Packers would have to make a decision whether they want to pay their veteran tackle that much more than the $6.8 million left guard Josh Sitton is making. Sitton is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and widely regarded as the team’s best lineman.
Now, let’s say Bulaga comes to the Bucs. Let’s remember that prior to this season, Bulaga has been injury prone. So as good as he is, Joe has Carl Nicks all of a sudden dancing in his head.
Bulaga was scheduled to play left tackle in 2013, but was injured in preseason and placed on injured reserve. Bulaga did play left tackle at Iowa. Now if Bulaga comes to the Bucs, wither Demar Dotson? Does Bulaga move to left tackle or does Dotson?
Let’s put it this way, and it isn’t a knock on the Bucs. But if the Packers thought Bulaga could play left tackle and Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz — who produces some of the best offensive linemen in college football and was once Bill Belicheat’s offensive line coach at Cleveland — thought Bulaga could play left tackle, Joe trusts them more than he does the Bucs coaching staff, just on reputation and resumés alone.
(Who would you trust, Packers yoda Ted Thompson, Ferentz or Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop?)
Joe would rather see Bulaga play left tackle than Dotson, who should have a hard time mastering a full shift to left tackle at the age of 29.
In other offensive line/Bucs rumors, Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports has the Bucs in the hunt for Dallas reserve tackle Jermey Parnell, who journeyman bounced around the league before finding a stable home the last three years with the Cowboys. Parnell started eight games last season on a line that got rave reviews.
March 8th, 2015 at 7:14 am
I would take Parnell at right tace for 4 mil a year and try and secure wisneiski at center for 4 mil. If those happened, then Boling at right guard for around 5 mil and add depth in draft in mid rounds.
March 8th, 2015 at 7:25 am
I agree with Corey, give me Parnell or Franklin from DENOT overpay for a dude who is ALWAYS hurt. Besides, have we not learned ANYTHING about the Packers? They do not let good talent get to UFA, look at EDS!
March 8th, 2015 at 7:26 am
Who would you trust, Packers yoda Ted Thompson, Ferentz or Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop?
So your saying George Waehop isn’t good Joe?
March 8th, 2015 at 7:40 am
At $8M per year, Bulaga being injury prone is too big a risk, IMO. There is better value out there. All of which means L&L will probably sign him.
March 8th, 2015 at 8:29 am
This is a horrible free agency. Seriously. Every position of need is overpaying for subpar or injury prone talent.
If I were Licht, I would find a punter and then wait for the draft, then hit the undrafted free agents like a madman. At least they would be league minimum and young.
Give David a contract and then role over the leftovers for next year, because nearly all the current FA outlooks suck, even Suh, who will be suspended for a season with his next infraction. Greg Hardy might be okay, but he’ll have baggage and a suspension as well.
I WOULD try an even swap…Martin for AP at half salary.
March 8th, 2015 at 8:32 am
Funny how Thompson’s opinion on preferring mariota to Winston doesn’t matter to the joes. It’s interesting that he is now an expert, but evidently not when it comes to QBs. Don’t you think we think trust the guy who drafted Aaron Rogers opinion on QBs? And for the record I trust him more than L&L. Draft mariota
March 8th, 2015 at 8:33 am
Should
March 8th, 2015 at 8:46 am
Sign Suh, and trade back for a king’s ransom.
No need to waste money, and overpay for anything but the best.
March 8th, 2015 at 8:51 am
why do people keep pining for parnell? do we not remember how our last back up offensive linemen worked out for us?
March 8th, 2015 at 8:52 am
He is not worth that kind of cash
March 8th, 2015 at 9:02 am
If a team is willing to part with a player as the packers are it is often because they feel that they can excel without him and that is a lot of coin to drop on a player; in other words let the buyer beware. The Bucs should know that after they were burned thrice last offseason with the 2 Bungles they signed out of Cincy along with the C from the Packers who did not show a lot of promise this past season in Tampa…..
March 8th, 2015 at 9:12 am
“Jermey”?…tough to get a date with that name! Already at a disadvantage being an olineman
March 8th, 2015 at 9:26 am
Agree with Bonzai….maybe sign one good Olineman…..save some $$….restructure some contracts/frontload & build a huge cap next year….we just don’t need to be suckers again.
March 8th, 2015 at 10:00 am
How about Joe Barksdale from the Rams instead? Plug and play RT and cheaper than Bulaga…
March 8th, 2015 at 11:01 am
$8M for a RT who has not played in all 16 games since 2010??? No Thanks. I’m sure that Dotson will be thrilled to play LT making $2.5M and $1.75M the next 2 years once we bring in a guy and pay him 4X that amount to play his old position.
LT is too important of a position to be trying to fit a RT into that spot and that goes for both Bulaga and Dotson.
Keep Dotson at RT and bring in a legit LT please. Better yet draft a LT with our high 2nd round pick. Cam Erving would be my choice if we can get him.
March 8th, 2015 at 11:11 am
Twice in one week, Joes.
Whither = where is, what happens to……
Wither = to die on the vine! dry up…… see Mike Glennon
tickrdr
March 8th, 2015 at 11:46 am
Fuk that. Don’t sign him. Instead try and sign whoever Ted Thompson has as a replacement. Thompson seems to always get rid of players at the right time.
March 8th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Dont spend this year!!
Save this season! Overflow cash for next year.
Trade back 2 or 3 times in the first two rounds
Get 5 or 6 picks in the first two rounds.
And rebuild the Bucs for years to come!!
March 8th, 2015 at 12:47 pm
injury prone is overblown in the NFL, Joe. Guys can get injured celebrating sacks (Nick Fairley) or kicks (Bill Gramatica). Carl Nicks had turf toe (hard to get rid of) and unfortunately developed MRSA in that toe….something he couldn’t help.
March 8th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
We are doomed if these reports are true and lovie and licht apparently learned nothing from last year’s free agents
March 8th, 2015 at 1:01 pm
Signing Baluga to a big contract and asking him to play a position he hasn’t played in college or the pros has mistake written all over it.
March 8th, 2015 at 1:37 pm
Oh look… People already b1tching and moaning over things that are just rumors. Good times.
March 8th, 2015 at 2:23 pm
Listen, I like Bulaga – but he tore an ACL BEFORE he was moved to Left Tackle – and when he was out, the Packers pass protection IMPROVED while Bulaga was OUT…
Now, you Kid Fameis fans need to STOP and listen to that last line again…the Packers actually IMPROVED (went from 26th to 13th in the league) WITHOUT Bulaga anywhere on the line!!
Sure, if you can keep the guy upright, he’s better than any Left Tackle we could get…but when his back-up outplayed him in protecting MOBILE Aaron Rodgers…do you REALLY think he’d help the MUCH slower-of-foot Kid Fameis?
Nix that won’t help a whole lot. Unless you put Kid Fameis in a shotgun (…and you know, that’s probably something you guys have listed as a negative for Marcus Mariota…it’s not gunna be an option…)
See, the talent isn’t consistent with the system you think he can run, therefore you’re going to force-fit the talent INTO the system. That’s a recipe for disaster…our Bucs couldn’t SAVE Kid Fameis, let alone protect him…
March 8th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
Not gonna get my hopes up.
March 8th, 2015 at 8:29 pm
He played in the nfc north while lovie was coaching so of course we are going to overpay smdh. This is not a 8 mil a year tackle!!!
March 8th, 2015 at 9:21 pm
Seminole Bill thinks that, since it is apparent the Bucs are going with a rookie QB next year, that the Bucs better darn well surround him with a quality Oline, else Seminole Bill thinks our new rookie QB will be spending his rookie season buried in the RayJay grass.
Seminole Bill also wishes Joe would stop with referring to himself in the third person.