Former Packers RT Bryan Bulaga to sign with Chargers, per report

The writing was on the wall on Monday morning when the Green Bay Packers signed Rick Wagner to a two-year deal. Now it’s really done: Bryan Bulaga is gone.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Bulaga is agreeing to a contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, which will take him to new places after spending his first ten NFL seasons with the Packers. Early financial details from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport put the contract at three years and $30 million, about the same overall deal that linebacker Blake Martinez agreed upon with the New York Giants on Monday evening.

Bulaga also gets to reunite with his former offensive line coach James Campen. Campen coached the line in Green Bay from 2007 to 2018 under head coach Mike McCarthy, a span that covered Bulaga’s first nine professional seasons. That was likely a bit of a selling point for the veteran tackle, even if it was not the critical factor in his decision.

Who Bulaga will block for is a different question, however, as the Chargers have questions at the quarterback position. Philip Rivers has reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts, leaving the Chargers with veteran Tyrod Taylor and 2019 fifth-round pick Easton Stick as the only signal-callers on the roster.

The Packers, meanwhile, will move forward with Wagner and a likely early draft pick at the right tackle position. As for the compensatory draft pick calculation, both Bulaga and Martinez should count for 2021 draft picks if the Packers do not sign any unrestricted free agents to cancel them out. Early projections from Overthecap.com put Martinez at a fourth-round pick, so Bulaga’s contract should net the same type of pick. Of course, those projections may change based on more signings over the next few days and weeks.