Packers: Bryan Bulaga projected to make $12 million a year in free agency

Bryan Bulaga’s projected market value could be out of the Packers’ range.

A Super Bowl winner, Bryan Bulaga has been an important part of the Green Bay Packers offense for a decade. But the Packers might not be able to re-sign him when free agency begins next week.

According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, a conservative projection for Bulaga’s market in free agency is $12 million a year. This could be difficult for the Packers to match, especially if they plan to sign other free agents.

Tackle is a premium position and there will likely be a lot of interest around the league in free agency, not only in Bulaga but also Jack Conklin. Unless GM Brian Gutekunst is willing to match other offers around the league, it would seem unlikely Bulaga will be back. And this perhaps shows why a new deal hasn’t been agreed to this point.

Losing Bulaga would put Gutekunst in a difficult position as right tackle would suddenly become a major need. And that’s to go with other pressing needs at wide receiver, inside linebacker, tight end and defensive tackle.

Signing a free agent like Conklin would be at least as expensive, and likely a lot more, than Bulaga.

The option might be to go cheaper, which could mean bringing back Jared Veldheer on a short-term deal and then drafting a tackle in the early rounds with the hopes of finding a future starter. But, again, with other needs across the roster, needing to spend an early draft pick at tackle isn’t ideal.

We’ll know soon enough. The “legal tampering” window begins on Monday and free agency officially starts next Wednesday. It’s looking increasingly unlikely that the Packers and Bulaga will agree to a long-term deal prior to then. If he becomes a free agent, the Packers might need him to take a hometown discount to stay, or else they’ll be searching for his replacement in the coming weeks and months.