The Green Bay Packers‘ starting left tackle, Bryan Bulaga has apparently tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and will miss the upcoming NFL season.
Reports say that Bulaga tore it during practice, but played through it, later heading into the locker room. Bulaga suffered two injuries in 2011, missing a total of four games. Last season, he suffered a fracture in his left hip, as he landed on the injured reserve after week nine.
During the offseason, Bulaga shifted from the right tackle position to left tackle, so he could protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ blindside. Losing the big tackle will hurt the Packers’ pass protection, as they struggled even with him in 2012. This loss will make Rodgers run around, evading stocky defensive lineman a lot more than usual.
In 2012, the Packers allowed 51 sacks, the second-highest total worst in the NFL. With the loss of Bulaga, the sack rate will go even higher, maybe even totaling at 60. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Packers finish the season dead last in sacks.
With this injury, it seems as though the Packers will have Marshall Newhouse and rookie David Bakhtiari as their starting tackles. Where those two players will end up starting is still unknown. The other tackles on the Packers’ roster are Dan Barclay and Derek Sherrod.
The 24-year-old tackle was the 23rd overall draft pick in 2010, and has definitely been one of the few solid lineman on the Green Bay roster. In his first three seasons, Bulaga has started in 33 of his 37 games with the Packers.