BB has been amazing no doubt. He's so good when healthy. Finding his eventual replacement will be tough.

This is not as easy as it sounds. A lot of players get healthy and productive during their contract years, sign for a lot, then get hurt/fail to perform. Nick Perry is the most recent example for the Packers. Bulaga should definitely be considered for an extension, with the proviso that he get a front-loaded contract, and the Packers draft a replacement next year. This would be the prudent move. Whether Bulaga would accept this or sign with another team is a secondary question. A significant injury history should not be overshadowed by a career year.

In full agreement with you Tim.
Chad Clifton's career with the Packers comes to mind with when I hear all this Bulaga chriticism.
Remember his years of top performance coming after injury from Warren Sapps cheap shot.
Remember Bulaga's rookie year? He won the softball, home run contest or something in 2010. The prize was a junk car which I believe he painted, 'Super bowl or bust,' all over it."
Just sayin, I don't think Brian is done yet.
Thank you for the article Tim.

His play -- when healthy -- has been great. That "when healthy" part is the part a GM can't sleep on when you are talking about O-Line in their 30's. Bulaga has averaged 11 games a season over his 10 year career -- not exactly part-time, but not necessarily what you want to pay big extension money for. Joe Staley has been a beast -- he's played full 16 game seasons repeatedly, like 5-6 years in a row at one point. Bulaga has done that once.

I don't mean to trash Bulaga. I'd love for him to come back on a team-friendly deal. But I don't think he's priority number one, and I don't want to overpay for someone you would reasonably expect to start even fewer games a year as he ages.

Bulaga is a warrior. He plays with injuries most NFL players would take to the trainers room and sit out.

He is a quiet leader but carries a lot of weight in the locker room.

And he has faced more challenges across the line than probably any other OT so far this season....including David B...and has check mated them all.

Of all players on the Pack who are in their final contract year, Bulaga deserves a new deal...and deserves now.

He is a fine example of a pro’s pro for the younger players.

For: High level of play, o-line consistency, future draft flexibility, only via an incentives\performance based contract (less guaranteed money)

Against: Age diminishing level of play, Insistence by Bulaga of a long duration fully guaranteed contract.

I have posted previously that if the Packers could miraculously get another 1 good seasons out of Bulaga then the draft versatility is phenomenal.

I am seeing his name on the injury report sheet each week for veteran rest, so the Packers are already pulling the levers to preserve him for later in the season.

I think that if he gets to the end of the regular season and continues his current standard of play then he's proven that he's got at least 1 more good starting caliber RT year in him (and hopefully he gets to blood his replacement for the next 1 or 2 after that).

PS. Having the other 4 o-lineman perform at a reasonably high level and at least 1 good blocking TE on the team changes things drastically FOR retaining Bulaga.

I don't think the question is "Would it be wise to bring BB back next season & beyond?"
If BB can continue as he is at this time (strong play & injury free), who wouldn't want him around at RT after season 2019?
The real question is "When do you extend him (day after SB?) & for how much?...IMO, wait until season 2019 is complete.. BB will always listen to GB 1st (again IMO).... That makes the $$$ part the unknown.

I was one of those who scoffed at the idea of cutting Bulaga earlier this year because there was no obvious replacement on the roster. Turner is not Bulaga's replacement, nor is Light. It will take a #1 or #2 draft choice to replace Bulaga. Given the other needs the Packers will have (TE assuming they cut Graham, WR, DL, ILB) for next year's draft I would prefer to see them resign Bulaga on a 2-3 year deal.

For funding, I agree they will release Graham and Taylor and I would also add Tramon Williams. He will be 37 next year and it will be time to move on and that would free up an additional $5 million.

8 mil. plus is to much. He wouldn't take a pay cut, when he played bad. And you can't say the packers didn't almost release him. I question his loyalty. BB is playing good. But it's for the money! If the packers sign him to more then 5mil. a year, their suckers. Expect the same injuries to pop up. Expect a lesser BB. There are other free agents with a better history, that can take his place. Not to mention a draft pick; that will be faster and give us more hope for the future. If Daniels, Cm3, and Cobb can all be replaced. So can Bryan Bulaga.

The Packers should try to re-sign Bulaga as he's still playing well, but really it's up to him if the stays in Green Bay. Other teams with a lot more salary cap space will offer him more money so the ball is in his court. As others have found out, sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

Aron Rodgers put it best, Brian is a little grumpy and a warrior that has had to work thorough a lot of injuries that others might not have even tried. I feel like an offensive line needs a little grumpy and orneriness. As far as injuries go the team doctors are some of the best in the sports world and should be able to make a pretty good guess on his health and things that might happen to affect his availability. Heck why didn't he get cut when he refused to take a pay cut? Because guys like him just don't grow on trees.

I believed Brian Gutekunst when he said he would leave no stone unturned in his quest to build the best roster in the NFL and promote an atmosphere for success. The man truly knows the difference between a horse an a pony and when the price might be to high for team success. Let the guys that have access to all the information decide the future.

Right now I am happy to watch one of the best horses in the NFL play right tackle and turn opponents into ponies every week,

The best way to predict injuries is age and injury history. Have no problem whatsoever in giving him a 1 year deal on very good money indeed in fact if he would sign it then I would get it written up asap. But he will want to take advantage of his last chance to cash in so we should walk away.

Giving someone like bulaga a multi year contract on big money has a high probability of becoming a significant problem very quickly. It's asking for trouble. Pay big money for second contract guys still at their peak and you have far better odds.

"Boolaga - Iawaa"

Always feel better when hearing that during player intros on nationally televised games.

I always wanted to keep Bulaga. And it was a good choice. For depth. We already lost the LG and we got lucky Jentgens is playing well. And we still may lose another starter. We have to extend Clark first. Let Bulaga play out the year. And if there is not another FA signing, sign Bulaga for one more year. And next year draft a replacement tackle.

I hope they sign Bulaga before Martinez.

You can count me as one person that had assumed Bulaga would be allowed to leave when his contract expired after 2019. That was my feeling before the season started. I was never an advocate of letting him walk BEFORE the 2019 season, but I expected him to play elsewhere once his contract had expired.

As this season progressed I began to realise that he was playing at a seriously high level. That might be because he was healthier this year (an optimistic view) or that he was playing at a higher level because it was a contract year (a more pessimistic view). Whichever is true the high level of play is unarguable. He is even playing better than Bakhtiari this year (and that is an almost impossible feat).

As a consequence of that, It slowly dawned on me that we might be better off retaining Bulaga for a third contract. He is never going to accept a one year deal and probably not a two year deal either. Therefore you would be looking at a 3 year deal to retain him as long as the money is enough to tempt him. There are hints that he is enjoying himself more this year than in the past, which might help him be comfortable staying in Green Bay over going elsewhere. He will not be cheap because there are just too many teams in desperate need of a starting level OT.

As it stands now, I'd like to see him return, even though it's likely to cost the Packers $10m pa. Good tackles are just so important for the team, especially for an older QB, and there is very little chance of drafting a tackle in 2020 who is at all close to what Bulaga is providing now. I'd be all for getting an OT this year anyway, but if Bulaga is retained, it allows a more developmental pick than a first (ie a pick in rounds 2 to 4).

Is it a risk given his health record........yes it is, but it is becoming a risk that the Packers might be willing to make. Stockholder's opinion (see comments above this) that $8m pa is too much, is unrealistic in this market. Demand for good OT's (even not so good ones) is far too high for that kind of money being enough to keep him.

He is definitely a warrior , but he has an extensive injury history which gets worse with age. Letting go of Sitton and Lang were good moves, and so will this one.

I really like Bulaga. He is a tough guy with good character. With that said, I would not give him more than a 2-year extension, given his injury history. I am even second guessing the 2 years. Just have to see how this year goes. This sunday is only the halfway point for packers.