Packers Hosting St. Louis' Pass Rushers On Sunday: Bryan Bulaga Is Back Just In Time

As it was explained to me by a colleague earlier today, the Rams only play well against NFC West teams but they're terrible against everyone else and I shouldn't worry about them in Lambeau against the Packers.

However the Rams do have a fantastic pass rush and the Packers have struggled protecting QB Aaron Rodgers. But one of their best lineman will be returning from injury just in time.

Bryan Bulaga: "If I feel good, I'm going to play." #STLvsGB Read more: http://t.co/SKiQWXPcba pic.twitter.com/R1VPrpXzcs

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 9, 2015

Depending on the game, Bulaga's replacement, RT Don Barclay, has varied from OK to horrible. There really is no comparison, and Bulaga is significantly better.

There will be a few notable Packers missing: WR Davante Adams is still out with a high ankle sprain, and SS Morgan Burnett with a calf injury. Both are listed as questionable, but the fact that neither one practiced on Friday is bad sign. The offense has continued to play well without Adams as Jones and Montgomery have stepped up in his absence. But the run defense has really struggled except when they're bringing an extra safety down into the box, which they can get away with against QB Colin Kaepernick, but not against QB Nick Foles, who has a good deep ball. Burnett was strong against the run last season and he's been missed so far in 2015.

He's struggled in limited snaps, but it was also reported that SS Sean Richardson suffered a serious neck injury. I had forgotten about the serious neck injury he suffered in 2012, and that was one I didn't think he come back from. This one might end his career.

The Packers favored by 9 points, and the Rams might be without a couple of notable players: LB Alec Ogletree and WR Kenny Britt. Those might not seem like the biggest names ever, but Ogletree enters this game as their leading tackler and Britt as their leading receiver in yards. Ogletree is definitely out, though Britt is expected to play through his injured knee.

Packers Don't Add Anyone From Outside, Keep Their Own, and Watch As Greg Jennings Is Released

Unlike last year when the Packers made a big splash by signing LB Julius Peppers, it looks unlikely that they'll add player from another team, making them one of three teams with no new additions. Things could change over the next few weeks, but usually there are rumors by now that the Packers are talking to a player outside the organization, so I'm guessing that it won't happen.

Players should get the best offer for their services that they can, they don't have to give up millions of dollars and be loyal to the Packers when the Packers might just as well release them in a couple years, but there are some non-monetary factors that goes into their decision. RT Bryan Bulaga received an offer for more money from the Bills but decided to remain with the Packers. I don't know which teams might have been talking to WR Randall Cobb's agent last week, but Cobb got paid significantly less the Chiefs paid to WR Jeremy Maclin ($22.5 million guaranteed for Maclin, $17 million for Cobb).

The Vikings have released WR Greg Jennings. 2 seasons in MIN 2013: 68 rec, 804 yds, 4 TD 2014: 59 rec, 742 yds, 6 TD pic.twitter.com/vU6YtRooSh
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 14, 2015

Would WR Greg Jennings have been released now if he had re-signed with the Packers in 2013? I really have no idea, but it's a fair question. His stats were good over two seasons with multiple below average QBs, and he might have reached 1000 yards in each of the last two seasons with QB Aaron Rodgers (Jennings has only missed one game over the past two seasons in Minnesota). If he had stayed, then he would have presented the Packers with a decision between to make between him and Cobb.

As for the current situation, I can't see Jennings returning to the Packers. He was still useful last season, but he wasn't worth the cap charge (the Vikings are still taking a $6 million cap hit in 2015 for his release). He wouldn't start with the Packers, but he could start somewhere else. He won't receive a huge contract, maybe a Brian Hartline like two-years, $6 million contract, but he should be able to find a starting role somewhere.

Surprise! Packers Will Keep Bryan Bulaga

I wasn't too thrilled with the prospect of watching either JC Tretter (he struggled in spot duty at RT) or Don Barclay (coming off a lost 2014 season due to a knee injury) but I thought RT Bryan Bulaga would cost too much for the Green Bay Packers. Instead, it looks like the Packers were willing to meet his demands.

Wouldn't consider $7M initially. RT @RapSheet: #Packers pushing hard to keep OT Bryan Bulaga, going beyond their comfort zone for it.
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) March 10, 2015

Now it's being reported that he'll receive a five-year, $35 million deal from the Packers. That's good for the 2015 team but a bit of a premium for a right tackle (the Cowboys just re-signed Doug Free for $5 million per season). If Bulaga had been viewed as a left tackle by other teams, his price tag might have been as high as $9 million per season.

The Packers can afford him in 2015 but his re-signing is probably going to force them to let T.J. Lang or Josh Sitton (or both) leave in a couple years. Several recent contracts are going to have big cap charges in a couple years (Rodgers, Matthews, Nelson, Shields, Cobb) and keeping Lang, Sitton, and Bulaga at a combined $20 million isn't going to be easy.

The Packers are built to win now so keeping the offensive line intact for a 2015 title run makes sense. But there is a slight premium being paid, so the Packers might not have as much salary flexibility in a couple years.

Franchise Tag: Packers Let Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga Test The Free Agent Market

The NFL announced the 2015 salary-cap at $143.28 million and the Green Bay Packers have $33 million available, but they decided not to use the franchise tag ($12+ million for a wide receiver) on Randall Cobb or Bryan Bulaga.

#Packers opt not to use franchise tag on @rcobb18, who inches closer to open market. Blog: http://t.co/CXdxDkI1bj pic.twitter.com/cNxe6K7TJB
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) March 2, 2015

Usually I expect a free agent will walk if GM Ted Thompson hasn't re-signed a free agent by early March. That's what he did with offensive lineman like Daryn Colledge and Scott Wells, and WR Greg Jennings in 2013. But he did sign CB Sam Shields at the start of free agency last year, so I'm not sure what he'll do this time around.

Not paying Cobb $12 million annually makes sense. WR Jordy Nelson's cap charge will be a third of that in 2015 and he won't go over $12 million annually until 2018. The Packers would want to re-sign Cobb to a contract with a smaller cap charge. But a long-term deal might put a lot of strain on their salary cap and they could have as many as six players with a cap charge of more than $10 million by 2017 (depending on if they re-sign Bryan Bulaga). Having a salary cap that's dominated by a few players isn't how GM Ted Thompson has operated in the past.

The good news here is that if they really didn't think they could afford Cobb in a couple years then they probably would have used the franchise tag. Nelson has a bargain cap charge in 2015 ($4.6 million) and they could afford to pay a premium price for Cobb in 2015. Then they wouldn't have to worry about their 2017 cap because Cobb would be gone in a year or two. They aren't going to need $33 million in cap space for their rookie class, and there's no other current free agent that appears to be a target for them. I don't think LB Nick Perry or CB Casey Hayward should expect a big extension from the Packers, but they might be thinking about extending DT Mike Daniels this offseason to use up some of that 2015 cap room.

I don't have a good feeling about them re-signing Bulaga. He would add another big offensive line contract at the top of their salary cap (along with T.J. Lang and Josh Sitton) and his injury history is a concern. He might have been a perfect candidate for the cap to keep him for one more year, but the tag also brings a lot of bad feelings with it.

So I think it's a good thing that they didn't use the franchise tag on Cobb because it means they want to re-sign him long-term. However some bad teams have so much salary cap room available that they might want to consider overpaying for him since he's one of the best free agents on the market. Maybe they'll have wait and see if he receives a crazy offer that they wouldn't think of matching. That danger is real but I expect they're still the favorite to sign him for 2015.

It Looks Like It's Going To Be Hard For The Packers To Re-Sign Either Cobb or Bulaga

I wrote last month about how it seems unlikely that the Green Bay Packers will be able to re-sign RT Bryan Bulaga (they're already committing a lot of salary cap room to Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang, and Bulaga is arguably the best tackle available on either the left or right side), and they might be in a similar situation with WR Randall Cobb.

#ESPNInsider3: 2) #NFLFrontOffice: Can Green Bay keep Cobb and Bulaga? -- http://t.co/5esWIivjMx pic.twitter.com/ZjQ9wv1Wmd
— ESPN Insider (@ESPNInsider) February 25, 2015

Outside of Cobb and Bulaga, the only other free agent who deserves a significant, new contract is CB Tramon Williams, who's not in the same situation as those two because he's over 30 (he'll turn 32 before the start of next season) and he's looking for his second post-rookie contract (always a danger zone for NFL free agents). The Packers and other teams will be wary of Williams in ways they won't be for Cobb or Bulaga.

While Bulaga is probably a fit for any team that needs a tackle, a lot of teams are (and should be) concerned about how much success should go to the receiver and how much should go to the quarterback. A perfect example is WR Eric Decker, who was the No. 1 free agent wide receiver last year. The Jets did give him a five-year, $36.25 million contract with $15 million in guarantees, but he didn't even come close to turning Geno Smith into Peyton Manning. A Decker type deal for Cobb might be seen as fair, but his agent might be looking for a Percy Harvin deal (six-years, $67 million with $25.5 million guaranteed). WR Jordy Nelson recently re-signed for five-years, $43 million and was paid an additional $13.5 million in 2014. I doubt the Packers want to pay Cobb more than Nelson, however, the market might be changing because the salary cap is going to jump up soon.

In the case of either Bulaga or Cobb, it's likely that they both command new contracts with a cap figure of over $10 million each in 2016 or 2017. The Packers only have three such players in 2015 (Rodgers, Matthews, Peppers) and by 2017 that number will rise to four (Rodgers, Matthews, Shields, Nelson). The salary cap could be as high as $160 million in 2017 but that would make the roster quite top heavy if nearly 50% of it goes to six guys (Rodgers will $20 million by himself in 2017). There aren't a lot of other players likely to join that group (Casey Hayward and Eddie Lacy probably won't be paid that much in a couple years) but these six players alone can put a major strain on the cap.

Can they get Bulaga to agree to a back loaded contract so that his cap number doesn't rise substantially until 2017 (when Sitton and Lang are off the books)? Can they afford two wide receivers with $10 million plus cap charges (Cobb in addition to Nelson)? Maybe they're trying to win now and they'll deal with a potential salary cap mess in the future, which is a legitimate strategy, but that's now how GM Ted Thompson has operated over the past few years. Based on the fact that they haven't re-signed either of these players yet, and the stress their new contracts would put on their salary cap over the next three years, I'm not sure about their chances of re-signing either player.

Should The Packers Bring Bryan Bulaga Back in 2015?

I didn't expect there would be much of a free agent market for RT Bryan Bulaga this offseason because of his recent history of season ending injuries, but when I looked at the weak free agent market for offensive tackles, I've reconsidered. There's almost no chance he'll be back next season.

New from JS:Packers faced with choices as Bryan Bulaga nears free agency http://t.co/Mvn9d8EeKW
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) January 28, 2015

I'd like to see him return next season because he's much better than their current in-house alternatives (JC Tretter and Don Barclay). Tretter wasn't given much of a chance at tackle after he lost his starting center job to Corey Lindsey but he didn't look great during in a few late season snaps and he gave up a big sack to Mario Williams against the Bills. Barclay was solid in 2013 but he's coming off an ACL injury. Bringing Bulaga back is clearly the best choice, however there are a couple reasons why that's not going to happen.

They're already paying big bucks to Josh Sitton and TJ Lang. As it currently stands, according to Over The Cap, Sitton and Lang carry the 5th and 6th largest cap charges on the team. The Packers can't afford to tie up all their salary cap room at one position (offensive line), and neither Sitton or Lang should be considered for release since they're both arguably better than Bulaga.

He's not their biggest priority in free agency anyway. Cobb and Tramon Williams are more important, but that's a topic for a later post.

The free agent market for tackles stinks. I mentioned this earlier, but Bulaga is at the top of Walter Football's list of free agent tackles. He's proved that he's healthy now and he's been a good to great player during every season (when healthy) after his forgettable rookie campaign. All the other top players listed have been inconsistent (Free, Dunlap) or are coming off a major injury (Roos). Any team that's making left or right tackle a priority should be camping out on his doorstep the moment free agency begins.

GM Ted Thompson has been known to let his offensive lineman walk. After their Super Bowl win in 2011, it wasn't a big surprise when he let Daryn Colledge leave in free agency, but it was a bigger upset when Scott Wells left the following year. Then Evan Dietrich-Smith was allowed to leave last offseason. Though it is different because those three players are interior lineman while Thompson was quick to re-sign LT Chad Clifton and RT Mark Tauscher up until the moment they both decided to retire.

It'll be sad if he leaves, but successful teams can't afford to bring back every player. Maybe I'm wrong about this and both Bulaga and the Packers can find common ground, but I'm mentally planning for the worst.

Packer Injury Watch: Bryan Bulaga's Concussion

RT Bryan Bulaga appears to be on the path to being cleared by Sunday, but his absence could lead to JC Tretter's first NFL start.

No Bryan Bulaga at practice. Davon House was watching on. Josh Sitton and Mike Neal were on bikes pic.twitter.com/eWz8pZx7ri
— Wes Hodkiewicz (@WesHod) December 17, 2014

It wasn't pretty when Bulaga went to the locker room and Tretter surrendered the strip sack to DE Mario Williams that went for a safety. Except Williams is an elite pass rusher while the Buccaneers don't have much in the way of a pass rush. DT Gerald McCoy is one of the best players in the NFL, but he's done for the season. That leaves them with DT Clinton McDonald (who was good in 2013 with the Seahawks too) and DE Jacquies Smith (who's only had two good games this season) as their top rushers according to Pro Football Focus.

The Bucs have a pretty good run defense, led by LB Lavonte David and former Packer LB Danny Lansanah, but Tretter might be better as a run blocker at this point. Either way, even if Bulaga's unavailable, they should be in good shape to protect QB Aaron Rodgers.

The Packer Offensive Line Was Awful Against The Lions

Worrying about the offense is not a concern I've written about often for the Green Bay Packers. This shouldn't be a big concern when QB Aaron Rodgers is healthy and playing, but the other 10 starters on offense have to contribute too.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix grabbed his 1st career career INT on Sunday. #GBvsDET Game highlights: http://t.co/C24up63FTq pic.twitter.com/nAOvx6qO6t
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 21, 2014

The good news is that the defense is looking much better. They got big plays from two new faces (LB Julius Peppers and FS HaHa Clinton-Dix) and another one from a player who was seldom used in the past (CB Davon House). Though House's INT was probably the least helpful turnover I've ever seen since it pinned the Packers on the goal line and led to safety. The defense wore out late in the game as RB Reggie Bush ran for a long TD and even WR Golden Tate was running through tackles on the final drive. The defense could have done more, but overall they held a good offense in check.

I wrote last week about the lack of help from the offensive skill players. The Lions double-teamed WR Jordy Nelson (who still managed to lead the team in receiving) and it left the offense without a big play threat. TE Andrew Quarless had a great game, but that can't be said for any of the other receiver or back. However, the big problem was that the offensive line had a bad, bad day.

This isn't the first time they struggled badly trying to stop Suh and Fairley. While neither Lion had a huge stat line, they were shoving lineman out of the way at times and Rodgers was throwing a lot of quick passes. He couldn't take a few seconds to let a route develop. The Packers had done a pretty good job against them in recent seasons but this wasn't one of those moments.

LT David Bakhitari. Pro Football Focus gives him the worst run blocking grade of any lineman this season, and the visual evidence would confirm that. However, he does have a positive pass blocking grade, which might be good enough for Mike McCarthy. Former LT Chad Clifton was rarely an asset as a run blocker, but it didn't matter because of his reliable pass blocking.

LG Josh Sitton. He still has the best overall grade at Pro Football Focus of any lineman despite having his worst game of the season. He usually has one bad game per year (in 2013 it was the home opener against the 49ers). I expect he'll bounce back.

C Corey Linsley. He looked like a rookie trying to fill in for a starter last Sunday. Suh especially was shoving him around. He's probably not a long-term starter and he held up as best he could considering neither of the two veterans playing alongside him played well.

RG T.J. Lang. I lost track of the number of times I saw Lang on the ground. He was the lineman watching LB DeAndre Levy running by him on his way to tackling RB Eddie Lacy in the end zone for a safety. He was the only lineman charged with a sack by Pro Football Focus but he still ended up with a positive grade from them on Sunday. Go figure. It looked like a forgettable game for him.

RT Bryan Bulaga. With his surprising return from a knee injury, I'd expected the line to play well, but that didn't happen. Still, it wasn't his fault and he was the only lineman with a positive grade from Pro Football Focus.

The combination of arguably the best two defensive tackles going up against a line featuring a rookie center ended up going about as bad as you might expect. Hopefully it goes better against the Bears next week, but DT Stephen Paea had a good game against the Jets and DT Jeremiah Ratliff is having a good season (assuming he returns from a concussion). At this point, there's no big fix coming until JC Tretter returns later this season, but Sitton and Lang should bounce back from their poor game against the Lions.

The Packers Practiced on Wednesday but Eddie Lacy Did Not

Wednesday is the first chance to see how the injured Packers are doing. Things can change between now and Sunday but it looks like RT Bryan Bulaga is still hurting:

Bulaga worked through some drills with the #packers O-Line. ... pic.twitter.com/rdeo2klYbi
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) September 10, 2014

I think we saw the worst of RT Derek Sherrod against the Seahawks, he generally played better during the preseason, but Bulaga's return would be welcomed. Right now, it looks like career start number one for Sherrod will be happening soon.

On the other hand, RB Eddie Lacy didn't practice though he might be back very soon. He's already passed the first concussion protocol step. The Packers aren't going to rush him back, so if he does play on Sunday, I wouldn't have any concerns about him.

It seems like LB Brad Jones played awful last Thursday night because he's playing hurt (he always seems to be hurting) but that doesn't explain why he played all 70 defensive snaps against the Seahawks (one of only four defenders to do so). Maybe he aggravated the quad injury he suffered in late August at some point during the game and the coaches didn't realize it. But he was limited in practice for most of last week. Why would they rely so heavily on a player who wasn't 100%.

Despite all the talk about a big makeover on defense this season, they're still relying on a former 7th round pick who's inconsistent and/or injured and the only two options are another former 7th round pick (Sam Barrington) and an undrafted college defensive end (Jamari Lattimore). Maybe LB Carl Bradford is the answer, but he just made the switch inside a couple weeks ago. Due to missed tackles and penalties in pass coverage, inside linebacker is looking like the weak link on defense.

Packers 2014: The New Look Offensive Line

After reading Jack's post on RT Bryan Bulaga, I realized that I hadn't thought much about the changes on the offensive line this offseason. It's been a quiet 2014 so far with no free agent signing like with C Jeff Saturday in 2012 and only one late round draft choice (5th round C Corey Linsley). But the line's starting five is pretty much set, barring something surprising this preseason.

LT David Bakhitari. He went from unknown to the unquestioned starter at left tackle. He had a couple bad games last season, and unsurprisingly his conditioning entering last season as a rookie wasn't up to NFL standards. The fact that he's the unchallenged left tackle this season shows how much confidence the team has in him.

LG Josh Sitton. He had a rough start last season in Week 1 because of a back injury, but it cleared up within a couple weeks and he went onto be ranked as the No. 2 guard overall last season by Pro Football Focus.

C JC Tretter. Mike McCarthy has seemed to have wanted a tall center for years. He tried to promote Jason Spitz over Scott Wells a few years ago, but Spitz got hurt and Wells went onto play at a Pro Bowl level. Tretter is more athletic and taller (6-4) than any starting center they've had in years, and the coaches know exactly what they've got after watching him play on the scout team for the last several weeks of the 2013 season. Playing alongside two veterans will help with his transition, and I've got zero concerns about him.

RG T.J. Lang. He was very good in his first season as a starter (2011) but he slipped in 2012, and I was worried about his long-term future. Instead, a move to the right side of the line gave him no problems, and he bounced back with a solid 2013 season (the 15th ranked guard last season overall according to Pro Football Focus). Sitton and Lang were the anchors of the line in 2013, and they'll do it again next season.

RT Bryan Bulaga. If they did have any concerns about him returning from an ACL tear, he's seemed to have answered them this offseason. His health is still the biggest concern among the five starters, and even if that does become a problem again, Don Barclay was OK last season in his place.

Warm and humid today at #Packers minicamp. Lang, Tretter and Bulaga chat during special teams. pic.twitter.com/bJTLz50uCf
— The Fan 1075 (@WDUZ) June 17, 2014

Bulaga's Season Is Officially Over

The Green Bay Packers were "hoping for a miracle" and there was some talk about asking LT Bryan Bulaga to play with a torn ACL, which Josh Sitton thought was stupid. In the end, the most likely scenario came true and he will have surgery. There is no silver lining here, but as I wrote earlier this week, at least the Packers have some options as they try to replace him.

Mike McCarthy at the Lambeau Field podium: Bryan Bulaga has indicated to our medical staff he will have surgery this week. #Packers
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 7, 2013

It Looks Like Bryan Bulaga Will Miss The 2013 Season

Bob McGinn has reported that LT Bryan Bulaga suffered a torn ACL at some point during the Green Bay Packers's Saturday night scrimmage. There's a second report from Hub Arkush which said Bulaga is seeking a second opinion to find out whether it really is a torn ACL. At this point, the only way he salvages his 2013 season is if the initial diagnosis was wrong. But that doesn't appear to be the case.

To clarify, the #Packers have NOT confirmed that @BBulaga has a torn ACL. But, an #NFL source says he DOES have a torn ACL.
— Jason Wilde (@jasonjwilde) August 5, 2013

While this isn't a fatal blow to the Packers's offense, the odds that their offensive line would improve next season are almost nil.

Maybe rookie David Bakhtiari will be a steal in the fourth round and immediately become a quality starting left tackle, which is possible, but that isn't the most likely outcome. Maybe Marshall Newhouse will be better at right tackle than left, but I think he'd be better at guard than either tackle position. The only expected improvement should be from Evan Dietrich-Smith, who will be better at center than Jeff Saturday. Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang switched guard spots this offseason, and that doesn't seem to provide much benefit without Bulaga playing alongside Sitton, but at least Lang should be healthier next season.

After all the injuries at tackle over the past couple years, at least the Packers now have some depth. Don Barclay's played at all three offensive line positions in camp but he might be asked to become the full-time backup tackle. Former first round pick Derek Sherrod will play at some point this season. Maybe Andrew Datko will have improved in his second season. None of them will replace Bulaga, but at least the Packers won't have to scramble to find some decent offensive lineman for depth.

Position Review: Offensive Line Guards and Tackles

When the OTAs (organized team activities) start this week for the Green Bay Packers, who's playing where on the offensive line will be a topic of conversation because Mike McCarthy said that Bryan Bulaga and Josh Sitton are moving to the left side of the line and the Packers drafted two rookie lineman in April. It's clear Bulaga and Sitton will be the starters, along with T.J. Lang at right guard, but the position (guard or tackle) and future of every other lineman on the roster is an open question.

Position Review: Offensive Line-Center. Though I wrote earlier about Evan Dietrich-Smith and Greg Van Roten, they're both listed as G/C so it wouldn't be a surprise to see either of them playing guard in the future. But right now, they're the top two centers.

Marshall Newhouse and Derek Sherrod. While their situations are different, Newhouse was displaced by Bulaga on the left side and Sherrod hasn't been able to get his career back on track after a major leg injury, they're probably options 1A and 1B at right tackle. Newhouse can certainly play there but they'd rather see Sherrod show the promise they saw when selected him in the 1st round in 2011. This is a big offseason for both players. The loser will probably wind up on another team's roster in 2014.

David Bakhtiari and J.C. Tretter. The problem for the winner of the Newhouse/Sherrod battle is that they might only win the starting job for one season before Bakhtiari and Tretter are ready. GM Ted Thompson has had success finding offensive lineman in the 4th round (Sitton, Lang) and he found two more in 2013. Both players look more talented then their draft selection would indicate. They might have been available in the 4th round only because it was a strong draft for offensive lineman and they played at two little watched schools (Bakhtiari at Colorado, Tretter at Cornell). Their futures might be at guard, so they should play both guard and tackle this preseason as the coaches get a better look at them. I wouldn't be surprised to see both of them become long-term answers on the offensive line.

Don Barclay, Andrew Datko, Kevin Hughes, Lane Taylor. Barclay beat out Datko last year to become their emergency starter at right tackle, but Datko might look better this year if the shoulder he injured during his senior season is stronger. The problem for all four players is that the Packers have more depth now then they've had over the past few seasons. There might not be any room for undrafted or former practice squad players this year. I count nine lineman ahead of these four players, and the Packers have only kept seven to eight lineman at the start of the last two seasons. Even if they kept nine, these players probably wouldn't make the cut.

The starting five aren't settled like they were a year ago, but there's more depth then ever and it could lead to a surprising mix on the offensive line in 2013.

Mike McCarthy Shuffles The Offensive Line

There's been a lot written this offseason about LT Marshall Newhouse's future at left tackle and now Mike McCarthy has confirmed a move that had been discussed for a couple years; Bryan Bulaga to left tackle.

New from JS: Packers offensive line undergoes a makeover bit.ly/18xBN5s
— tom silverstein (@TomSilverstein) May 3, 2013

The main argument for keeping Bulaga at right tackle is that the team needs a good right tackle too. Bulaga was great on the right side in 2011 so why mess with success? It was a little surprising how secretive Mike McCarthy was about it. Tom Silverstein wrote:

Initially, multiple sources detailed the move, and later after an interview request, coach Mike McCarthy confirmed it and agreed to discuss it.

Or maybe he wasn't trying to keep a secret but he didn't want to talk about it. He might not want to give away any changes in his play calling tendencies. He did say "There was a lot of information that went into this decision" and "you put your athletic guy on the left and the more powerful guy [T.J. Lang] on the right."

Right now, it looks like an equal, three-way race between Newhouse, Don Barclay, and Derek Sherrod (health permitting) for right tackle job. Maybe rookies David Bakhtiari and J.C. Tretter will join in the competition, but the coaches want to see them in person first.

I don't see a downside to moving Bulaga and Sitton to the left side, but it's not obvious that this will make them any better. They might still line up with the same five players if Newhouse is named as the starting right tackle. Moving their offensive line problems from the left to the right side won't help. Still, it's great to see the coaches address the offensive line and look for ways to make the unit better.

It's Official: Packers RT Bryan Bulaga To I.R.

I've been disappointed with the Green Bay Packers' offensive line this season and I've been hoping they could improve as a unit over the next few weeks. That goal seems a bit less likely now.

And that corresponding roster by the #Packers is Bryan Bulaga to IR. I'm told he dislocated his hip but probably won't need surgery.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) November 12, 2012

Instead of signing an offensive lineman to fill his empty roster spot, the Packers opted to re-sign LB Vic So'oto. With LB Clay Matthews not at practice and expected to miss next week's game, they were down one player at linebacker in practice and they're obviously familiar with So'oto. I'd be surprised if he's active next Sunday so his return might only help fill out the scout team in practice.

I guess it's good news that Bulaga won't be needing surgery, but hip injuries always concern me. It doesn't sound like a long-term problem if he's able to work out and he doesn't require crutches. However, it all depends on how his hip responds to treatment over the next few months.

One positive note is that Derek Sherrod has been able to return to practice. He's still not in playing condition, but at least he's a step closer to returning by being able to practice. Mike McCarthy seems happy with backups Greg Van Roten and Don Barclay.

As for how the starting offensive line is looking now, see the post below.

How Will The Packers Get By Without Bulaga?

In Pete Dougherty's recent article, he doesn't appear to have any inside information on injured RT Bryan Bulaga, but he can read between the lines and thinks the Packers' silence about Bulaga over the past week is a sign that the injury is serious. If you re-watch the injury on NFL Game Rewind, he might have not even been in contact with another defender when it happened, though sometimes the lack of severity has nothing to do with it's actual extent. Assuming that Dougherty is correct and it's a serious injury that keeps Bulaga out for several weeks, who are their options on the offensive line?

Evan Dietrich-Smith at left guard and T.J. Lang at right tackle. While I've seen the same problems with Dietrich-Smith that the Packers have seen over the past couple years (he's somewhat undersized and can miss his blocking assignments) he played well when he replaced RG Josh Sitton last season. And he looked good against the Cardinals last Sunday too, who have a couple of quality inside pass rushers (Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell). Lang struggled at right tackle when he played it in 2009, but he's certainly improved since his rookie season, though he did allow at least one hit on QB Aaron Rodgers. It's not an ideal situation, and it might be asking a lot of Lang, who's taken a step back at left guard after a strong 2011 season, but it should work.

Undrafted rookies Greg Van Roten and Don Barclay. While both players come from humble origins, they impressed the coaches this summer. If the Packers really believed they could improve on either of them, they could have brought in some other offensive linemen for a workout. Van Roten seemed to have made a big impression on the coaches in practice, while I was less impressed with him during the actual preseason games. Barclay played well throughout the preseason at guard and tackle (Van Roten only played guard). Neither player is a project either. According to Packers.com, Van Roten started 30 games in college and Barclay played in an impressive 52 games at West Virginia and stated at left tackle for three seasons. While Van Roten was probably undrafted because he played at a small school (Penn), Barclay is undersized for an NFL left tackle and probably not the most athletic player at his position. However, they both seem able to play, if needed.

Seventh round rookie OL Andrew Datko. This preseason, he didn't seem to be over the shoulder problems that plagued him in college and he finds himself on the practice squad instead of the active roster. If he wasn't healthy enough to practice then I don't expect the Packers would be stashing him on the practice squad. During the preseason, he didn't look like an asset in the running game but he did seem to hold up as a pass blocker. He might find himself back on the active roster soon depending on what happens with Bulaga.

Former first round pick Derek Sherrod. The Packers made room for him on the roster this week, but Sherrod still hasn't practiced in forever. It's possible he could return, but it's more likely he'll find himself on season ending I.R. in a couple weeks. They don't need another offensive lineman immediately (with Van Roten and Barclay active on game day, they'll give the Packers their usual seven active offensive lineman) so they can afford to wait a couple weeks on Sherrod.

While that isn't an impressive stockpile of depth, it's decent enough. At least they wouldn't have to rely on someone who's no good, such as former lineman Herb Taylor who was released during the preseason.

Packers Win Fourth In A Row, Improve To 6-3 Before The Bye Week

The Green Bay Packers didn't blow out the Cardinals, who have now lost their last five games, but they did score first on a beautiful screen pass to WR Randall Cobb and they never trailed. The big story, and concern, are the new injuries, especially the hamstring injury to LB Clay Matthews. Immediately after the game, there was no word on how the injured players were doing.

QB Aaron Rodgers was pretty critical of his own play, but I thought he was accurate and, obviously, four touchdown passes is pretty impressive. Drops were a problem, again, and a FOX graphic showed at least four by mid-game. He did miss a couple passes into tight spots, but his criticism of those incompletions is because of his high standards. It didn't help that he barely had WR Jordy Nelson again this week, as he came out early after an ankle injury. Few teams can survive losing their top two receivers, and it's no surprise that he struggled a little.

The running game showed some signs of life, but unfortunately, the Cardinals were begging the Packers to run. They were much more concerned with the passing game, and during the first half, the Cardinals often played with only two defensive lineman. They sometimes left a linebacker standing over the center while their two lineman lined up over the tackles, so Mike McCarthy went to the ground game. RB James Starks had room to run as the offensive line pushed around the Cardinals' linebackers, but then he had to ruin it with a fumble (fortunately, it was recovered by Rodgers). Once the Packers had a second half lead, and the Cardinals started expecting the run, they began to line up with NT Dan Williams and the rushing attack slowed down. Also, the Packers failed to convert three times in the second half on 3rd and 1, so their power running game in short yardage situations still needs work.

RT Bryan Bulaga was lost for the game with a hip injury, and LG T.J. Lang played well as his replacement at right tackle. The offense didn't seem to miss a step with OL Evan Dietrich-Smith at left guard, but Lang has struggled in the past at tackle so hopefully Bulaga returns soon.

Allowing 306 yards to QB John Skelton might be seen as bad, but he almost had over 300 yards the previous week against the 49ers. He accumulates yards, but then struggles translating it into points. The Cardinals did manage a second quarter touchdown after an interception, and I don't think it was a coincidence that they had their two 3rd quarter scoring drives right after Matthews injured his hamstring. LB Erik Walden had a great game (3 QB hits, 1 interception) after a poor game last week against the Jaguars, but he and LB Dezman Moses weren't nearly as effective as Matthews (obviously). Going forward, they'll need Matthews back ASAP, but he's been limited by bad hamstrings in previous seasons so they might not be able to expect much from him the rest of this month.

After reading a lot of praise for rookie CB Casey Hayward over the last week, he struggled against the Cardinals. I didn't count all the completions he allowed, but it was several and at least one big one that set-up the first touchdown. Having said that, he did break up the pass on 4th down with two minutes left in the game and that play was the Cardinals' last gasp.

All the injuries were bad, but they did win the game and now enter their bye week on a four game winning streak. The Bears keep rolling, but the Packers still control their playoff destiny. Now they have a week off to get healthy before playing two tough road games (at Detroit, at NY Giants) as they finish out the month of November.

Aaron Rodgers Says: "We've Got To Run The Ball Better"

His comments shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has watched the Green Bay Packers over the past three games, but QB Aaron Rodgers says the running game isn't good enough:

“Quantity is important – we want to have a certain amount of runs every game to keep them honest,” Rodgers said, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “But I have to say the quality of them has not been anywhere where we’d like them. . . . We’ve got to run the ball better.”

Mike McCarthy says RB Alex Green will remain the starter, but his backup plan is either a still recovering (toe injury) RB James Starks or a wide receiver (Randall Cobb). Those aren't great options. While McCarthy is talking positive in public, that doesn't mean he's saying the same thing in private. Back in 2010, he spoke well of RB Brandon Jackson shortly after RB Ryan Grant was lost for the season, but he didn't stick with Jackson as the season went on.

While Green and his 2.9 yards per carry have not been the solution, it wasn't like the running game was dominant behind RB Cedric Benson (3.5 ypc). While both backs could be doing more, the blocking up front has to be looked at too.

After eight weeks, Football Outsiders offensive line stats have them ranked against the run at No. 28 overall. At first glance, the problem seems to lie with the running backs. The Packers "stuffed rank" of No. 24 overall indicates that the line isn't terrible at letting defenders make a tackle behind the line of scrimmage, but still it's a poor ranking. Where the Packers come in near, or at, the bottom is against the second level and for open field yards. That's a sign that the backs aren't doing enough even when the line is blocking well.

Looking at the Packers rankings by directional yards, the only good news is when the Packers run up the middle (4.13 adjusted line yards per carry; No. 16 overall). They're at their worst when they run to the right tackle (2.54 ALY per carry; No. 32 overall). I noticed against the Rams that the Packers seemed to run mostly to the left, which was probably the right thing to do if RT Bryan Bulaga is getting so little push to that side. Football Outsiders says that the Packers run off right tackle only 12% of the time (15% off left tackle) and 50% of the time straight up the middle. At least the coaches realize where they have their most success.

One example that comes to mind regarding Bulaga's struggles: against the Jaguars, the Packers had a 3rd and 1 at the Jags 14 yard line with about two minutes remaining in the third quarter. They ran Green to the right and Bulaga was pushed back at the line of scrimmage after the snap. When he took a step back with his right foot to re-plant himself, he tripped Green and the conversion attempt failed.

There's no easy fix here. Maybe one of the current backs on the roster will emerge, but they'll probably need to look for an upgrade in the offseason. There are some trade options available, but the current options at running back aren't the entire problem. Maybe moving Bulaga to left tackle, which was rumored this summer after Chad Clifton was released, is the way to go. Maybe LT Marshall Newhouse can provide a stronger push at right tackle, or they could find a right tackle more in the mold of RG Josh Sitton to open up room on the right side. Derek Sherrod won't help in 2012, but he was very good at blocking against the second level in college, so he might be part of the solution in 2013.

In the short term, the best they can do is keep handing the ball to Green and see what happens when Benson and FB John Kuhn (though I've never been overly impressed with Kuhn's work as a lead blocker) return from injury. With the passing game playing great, they can probably get away with this patchwork situation. But they'll need to make a serious effort to improve the running game at some point in the future.

Jennings Has Surgery, But I'm Writing About The Offensive Line

In previous years, losing WR Greg Jennings for an undisclosed amount of time due to surgery for a groin injury would be a big deal, but the Green Bay Packers have basically been without their top wide receiver already this season. He hasn't played at all in October, and over their last three games, QB Aaron Rodgers has thrown for 12 touchdowns and 1 INT. They'll be fine without him, which might be something to consider when Jennings becomes a free agent at the end of the year.

However the one area that has been a concern this season is the offensive line. While Rodgers had a great game against the Rams, the offensive line struggled to protect the QB and open running lanes for RB Alex Green. It seems like their problems every week can be traced to one player on the line, and against the Rams it was LG T.J. Lang.

His main problem was DT Michael Brockers, who despite having a quiet rookie season was great against the Packers. He had a sack in the first half when he shoved Lang into the backfield, and recorded two tackles for a loss on running plays (though one came when C Jeff Saturday couldn't block him). Overall, Lang appeared to allow two first half sacks, and missed on at least two blocks on second half running plays. Allowing that many plays in the backfield isn't good.

One strange thing was that they seemed to call for more runs to the left side although arguably their best lineman (RG Josh Sitton and RT Bryan Bulaga) play on the right. It was even more strange considering Lang's struggles, and some early game difficulties LT Marshall Newhouse, who had keeping up with DE Robert Quinn. At least Newhouse seemed to improve after the first quarter.

As long as I'm bringing up the bad, I should point out the good. The Rams's star DE Chris Long (13 sacks in 2011, 4 in 2012) was a non-factor and only recorded one tackle against the Packers. Mike McCarthy rarely gives his tackles any help in pass protection and Bulaga was great against the Rams' playmaker.