Packers Place Bulaga On Injured Reserve; Bring Back So'oto
With Bulaga done for the year, Packers will turn to Lang at right tackle, Dietrich-Smith at guard
By PackerAaron
From the Packers:
The Green Bay Packers signed LB Vic So’oto and placed TBryan Bulaga (hip) on injured reserve. The transactions were announced Monday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.
So’oto (So-OH-toe), a 6-foot-3, 263-pound second-year player out of Brigham Young, played in seven games for the Packers in 2011 and appeared in four contests for the Oakland Raiders this season. He entered the league with Green Bay as a non-drafted free agent on July 28, 2011. So'oto will wear No. 97.
This is a blow for the Packers offensive line. After struggling the first month of the 2012 season, Bulaga had looked to have regained his top-form before going down with a hip injury against the Cardinals.
Look for T.J. Lang to continue to play right tackle, as he did when Bulaga went out against Arizona, and for Evan Dietrich-Smith to play left guard in place of Lang.
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Comments (59)
November 12, 2012 at 12:22 pm
This sucks for Bulaga, especially because he was playing better following one poor half against a pretty good defense. Also, it goes without saying that it definitely sucks since he may have avoided this injury if he had just fallen down. But at the same time, there's no time for the Packers to bemoan this injury. Lang and EDS were very solid after shifting positions. Hopefully there will be no more injuries. But it is a good sign that Sherrod is back at practice - hopefully he'll be able to step into the equation on the o-line and be a factor down the stretch. He doesn't necessarily have to start - especially if this shuffled unit shows improved play - but he could step in as the extra lineman that EDS was used as against Jacksonville. Another thing to remember - he was originally a TE! Trick play MM?
All things considered, this injury shows the brilliance of TT to draft and resign Lang, who has become a solid starter but has always shown to be a very versatile player on the o-line.
And, for final shits and giggles, the future HOFer is BAAAAAACK! Gimme some So'oto! Hey - he could fill the role Perry did. So'oto proved he was our only OLB who could effectively and consistently collapse the pocket from the LOLB position. Do I see a rise in Clay's sack numbers like those when Perry was starting?...
November 12, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Well, here's to Bulaga getting healthy, because I do not think he really was at all this season. But what the heck are they going to do for depth now? There is no one on the bench who looks ready to stand up if needed.
November 12, 2012 at 12:26 pm
Agreed. There are times in the NFL when you need to just pray to the football gods to play nice...this is one of them!
November 12, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Is that Andrew Datko music??
November 12, 2012 at 12:53 pm
Do you hear the Chief Seminole chant? I think MM & TT will wait to see where Sherrod is 1st before they think of bumping him up to the active roster.
November 12, 2012 at 01:23 pm
Sherrod was a limited participant today in practice.....holding my breath
November 12, 2012 at 02:47 pm
I can't see anything happening with Sherrod. He just now practiced for the first time in what... 11 months? I've been wrong before, but I don't see it. I think they'll either promote Datko or sign somebody... since there's just a bevy of competent linemen available on the street.
November 12, 2012 at 12:43 pm
This is what we feared would happen at the start of the year with the line not as deep as the past 3 years. These injuries are really adding up.
November 12, 2012 at 12:55 pm
GB will need to go 10, maybe 11 games with the current OLinemen. Barclay, Van Roten & hopefully Sherrod to back-up the starting five. Could be a problem.
Sure hope the "brilliance of TT" doesn't get AR killed by season's end.
November 12, 2012 at 12:57 pm
It's always a gamble of sorts - if TT drafted more o-linemen this draft, we wouldn't have Perry, Worthy, Hayward...
November 12, 2012 at 01:16 pm
Your best player (NFL's best) is being protected by that OLine. Lose AR & the cry will be "there's always next year". No doubt it's a huge gamble. One that could lead to a shorter than expected season for all.
November 12, 2012 at 02:30 pm
I don't disagree that it wasn't necessarily the smartest to gamble that the o-line would stay healthy. But at the same time, this team would be going nowhere fast if TT had just stuck with building the offense around Rodgers more - we'd have last year's defense all over again. Hindsight is always 20/20, all we can do is no more injuries pop up and that Sherrod can return this season.
November 12, 2012 at 02:41 pm
Many, many PackFans were very concerned about the Oline depth coming out of TC. It could easily be seen back in late August that the OLine could sustain one injury & that's about it. There's no hindsight involved at all.
Hopefully Barclay, Van Roten & Sherrod are truly NFL players. Although you're correct, no more injuries would be the best-case scenario.
November 12, 2012 at 05:14 pm
This is in reply to rocky70, it wont let me comment to his last comment.
Ya and do you know how many times I am glad that Pack fans arent the GM? Pretty much every time they open their mouths about being thin here, or trading for this guy there, or how we need to upgrade here.
I dont dog on TT because of his success, I dont dog on TT because its his freaking job and his life to do what fans think they could do when they know about 1/millionth of what a real GM knows.
Ya we are thin at O-line, but then what happens if they make a run to the super bowl even with more injuries to the oline? Its easy to look at every position with doomsday glasses, its just not possible to fill the entire roster top to bottom with starting talent. Hell name me one team that has not only a starting o line but back ups as well that are all starting worthy? I didnt think so.
November 12, 2012 at 09:37 pm
@ MLecl0001
Hey, great 1st post. Also pretty useless. Your ranting & raving serves no purpose. It's quite simple. You have to protect your 'franchise QB' or you fail.
It happens to be TT's job, genius.
PackerAaron
November 13, 2012 at 03:36 pm
His job is to win championships, which he's done once already. The guy knows what he's doing.
November 13, 2012 at 02:54 am
@Rocky70
I had a whole comment written out, but you know what? Its not worth it, fans like you live in some fantasy madden football world and nothing is going to change your deluded minds.
Why I dont post here a lot.
November 13, 2012 at 04:21 pm
@ Nagler
One championship in seven years. This is his 8th as GB's GM. It could end up being another 'fart in the wind' situation if GB continues to look elite but continually watches the SB while sitting on their couches.
TT is riding AR just like many HCs & GMs have rode elite QBs in the past. Take away AR & TT would have been long gone long ago.
PackerAaron
November 13, 2012 at 04:55 pm
So you're saying he's doing as well as Ron Wolf, a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist. And could still put another Lombardi in the trophy case.
I'll take it.
November 13, 2012 at 05:04 pm
Hey, I'm happy with TT. Just say'in everyone always has that tendency to over-rate the man in place. When TT retires, then his career can be evaluated. At this point, AR is why GB is a threat to win it all, not TT.
PackerAaron
November 13, 2012 at 05:14 pm
And who drafted Rodgers, after 23 other GMs passed on him? I hear you man, but to me, it's TT, MM & AR that enable the Pack to be annual contenders.
November 12, 2012 at 12:57 pm
I have lots of faith in Lang/EDS, but if we lose another guy, I'm going to be outside Tauscher's house with a boombox playing "In Your Eyes"
November 12, 2012 at 02:10 pm
That made me laugh pretty hard. Props to you.
November 12, 2012 at 02:11 pm
I love that image. But it might be more productive to spend your time offering Sherrod some long-distance candlelight Reiki.
November 12, 2012 at 03:55 pm
Nicely done.
November 13, 2012 at 06:33 pm
Allow me to heap yet more praise upon this most awesome of comments.. ever.
Hilarious
November 12, 2012 at 01:12 pm
Cool! Backup tackles just in time for DET and NYG defensive lines!
wooo hooo!
November 12, 2012 at 01:32 pm
Since our current O-Line is the second worst in all NFL in giving up sacks, I am confident it couldn't get much worse.
The Packers O-Line are not anywhere near the top tier of linemen to begin with, lets not treat this as if its the end of the world.
PackerAaron
November 12, 2012 at 02:03 pm
"Since our current O-Line, ALONG WITH OUR QUARTERBACK, is the second worst in all NFL in giving up sacks..."
There. Fixed that for you.
November 12, 2012 at 02:32 pm
Well played Aaron.
November 12, 2012 at 02:18 pm
I'm confident in T.J Lang playing right tackle. Anymore injuries to this line though, especially at the tackle position and things will start get weird.
November 12, 2012 at 04:17 pm
Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez split. And now this. What the hell.....
At least Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are getting back together.
November 12, 2012 at 04:44 pm
Call Tony Mandarich.
November 12, 2012 at 05:25 pm
Somewhere in a dark room in the depths of Lambeau Field Ted Thompson is sitting on his hands and praying silently that no other OLinemen get hurt against Detroit. Greg Van Roten? Don Barclay?? Andrew Datko??? Really Teddy, Isn't it time to
drop your "draft and develop" ego mantra and seriously get on the phone to pick up a real veteran OLineman?? Oh that's right you'd rather roll the dice until the team and our all-pro quarterback go up in flames then actually do something now!!
November 12, 2012 at 07:16 pm
You know what other teams will say when Ted calls them up looking for an OL? They'll say: "What the hell, Ted, are you drunk? The trading deadline was weeks ago"
November 13, 2012 at 12:34 am
I know you're mad, and you need someone to blame, but this is just ridiculous.
So when Desmond Bishop went down, and then DJ Smith replaced him well, that was just all Ted's ego mantra? And then when DJ Smith went down and Brad Jones came in and has played reasonably well, that's just Ted torching the organization right? Maybe when his second round draft pick came in for the injured Sam Shields, that was just Ted giving you and all Packer fans the finger right?
Not to even mention the fact that Randall Cobb (taking a wide receiver in the second round, that's absurd!) has totally mitigated the absence of Greg Jennings.
I trust in Ted's ability to run a football organization far more than yours. But that must be my ego mantra coming through.
November 13, 2012 at 04:17 am
"Greg Van Roten? Don Barclay?? Andrew Datko??? Really Teddy, Isn’t it time to
drop your “draft and develop” ego mantra and seriously get on the phone to pick up a real veteran OLineman??"
What like Herb Taylor. There surely cant be much worth it left on the street?
November 13, 2012 at 06:48 pm
Um, you do realize that almost the ENTIRE TEAM that went 15-1, with exception to Woodson and Pickett, was pretty much all drafted and developed by the Packers. Noteable exceptions like Tramon Williams, who WAS drafted by the Texans at one point and release, were still DEVELOPED by the Packers.
If you really think about it in the broadest of terms, every single all-pro player in the NFL is a product of somebody drafting them and developing them (Unless they were Undrafted, of course)... So all those big-name, high pricetag players you want TT to acquire? They're all products of draft-and-develop, too.
November 12, 2012 at 06:47 pm
As I pointed out in an earlier post...
Packers recent 1st round picks
2012 – Nick Perry – on IR
2011 – Derrick Sherrod – Off PUP, questionable return this season.
2010 – Bryan Bulaga – IR (or worse).
2009 – B.J. Raji – Just coming off injury
– Clay Matthews – Injured (approx. 2 weeks)
2008 – Jordy Nelson (2nd round, 1st overall pick) – Injured
2007 – Justin Harrell – I’ll just go ahead and assume he shattered his femur within the last week.
Anyone noticing a pattern? If A.J. Hawk goes down, who’s next on the list? Who did we draft in 2005? Who knows. I’m sure it’ll be fine.
Now, before I get some ridiculous comment pointing out that this is a coincidence, I completely understand that. I just think it's crazy that this actually is the case and, more importantly, we're 6-3. How many teams can overcome missing that many top picks and still manage this much success?
November 12, 2012 at 10:58 pm
2005 first round pick was Aaron Rodgers--no way he can get hurt for an extended time and we get to the post season.
November 13, 2012 at 03:15 am
I totally agree with this. Ted totally whiffed on not drafting Iron Man when he had the chance.
November 13, 2012 at 08:51 am
Should have drafted Steel. Now THAT is a super hero. AMIRITE??
November 13, 2012 at 09:47 am
Just to be clear, I was joking about not knowing who the 2005 first round pick was. Second, my point is simply that it's a crazy coincidence, not that Ted Thompson has done anything other than draft brilliantly. Even more to his credit, he's found talent that allows us to be 6-3 despite missing so much talent. No where in my post do I even allude to suggesting Thompson should have done something differently.
November 12, 2012 at 07:25 pm
Please, our O line is putrid, yesterday's news. MM and #12 will have to adjust some play calling to keep 12 healthy.
If a practice squad guy has to step up, that's why they are there. o step up gentleman.
I am more worried about our run game , the D and Crosby's head case than the O-line.
Go Pack
November 13, 2012 at 07:23 am
With all the injuries around the league I still think the owners should bring the rosters up to 55 or 56
November 13, 2012 at 08:50 am
I've been thinking this for a while, especially back when they were talking about going to 18 games. The counter-argument is you do not quality players buried on a roster somewhere, not getting a chance to play. Maybe expanding the practice squad roster and giving a team the right to match and retain would be a better idea.
November 13, 2012 at 10:16 am
Teams do have the right to match and retain, don't they? The Packers kept Borel and Gurley last season on the PS by agreeing to pay them more.
November 13, 2012 at 06:44 pm
I don't think so for practice squad. The guys last year chose to come back. They could have gone to an active roster.
November 14, 2012 at 09:27 am
Maybe I'm not understanding what you mean by "giving the team the right to match and retain would be a better idea."
If Team A wants to sign a player off Team B's PS, Team B has the right to activate them or negotiate with them in order to keep them. The player doesn't automatically go to the new team.
November 13, 2012 at 09:21 am
More like 60, but I definitely agree - the rosters need to be expanded. Especially with all the attention being paid to every little injury and the way the NFL is trying to cover its @$$ from injuries to retired players. The league needs to expand rosters and allow for more players to be active on gamedays. That way, teams can rotate players in more often - injuries tend to happen either by freak nature or, more often, when players get tired and their technique gets sloppy.
November 13, 2012 at 11:39 am
But consider what you get with that expansion. You already have 7 inactives on gameday, usually due to the fact that their developmental guys the franchise is trying to hide on the roster. They don't currently have the talent to compete in the NFL with any consistancy. Expanding to 60 only means your filling out the bottom of your roster with guys that (odds are) really don't belong in the NFL. Heck, you could argue the bottom third of each roster on the 10 worst NFL teams don't belong on an NFL roster.
Just not enough legitimate NFL talent to go around at certain positions. As decimated as the Packers depth chart is would you take a single AZ Cardinal offensive lineman on the roster? Is Daryn College really that much better than Barclay or Van Rotten?
November 14, 2012 at 05:47 pm
Is that last question a serious one?
November 15, 2012 at 07:50 am
Yes, it is. He's not as good as EDS at this point, meaning he's still riding pine on the Packers depth chart despite the injuries. Not a single starting lineman on Arizona's current starting roster would supplant the current starting lineup the Packers have, and that includes EDS. Meaning, they're at best 'next man up' along with Van Rotten and Barclay.
November 14, 2012 at 09:45 am
The problem is the cap. The owners don't want to broaden the cap (they're doing the opposite), which would lead to overall reduction of salaries. But there's no way the NFLPA will agree to that.
So, I could be way off, and I think expanding the roster would be a good move, but I don't think it'll happen soon.
November 13, 2012 at 05:08 pm
So'oto is back baby! the missing piece?
November 13, 2012 at 07:02 pm
I think so!
November 13, 2012 at 06:45 pm
Rodgers had an interesting comment on his show today. He clearly considers Evan D.S. to be the center of the future. Which should start in about four months. Which is good when you look at the centers in the draft this year.
November 14, 2012 at 09:41 am
I wouldn't be so quick to discredit all centers in this draft.
Plenty of guards will be converted, let's start with that.
There's also the fact that good players come out of the later rounds every year.
However, with the experience EDS has in the system and in the league, he should be the clear frontrunner. It's evident this is Saturday's last season, so he better learn the protection calls.
Having playing time will only do good. There's the possibility of Sherrod returning by the end of the season but my money is on the line, barring more injuries, being Newhouse, EDS, Saturday, Sitton and Lang all the way.
We need depth, though. They'll either keep it as it is or bring Datko to the roster. Either way, a gamble. Don't like their track record in gambling with the OL, but I don't see an alternative.
It's on Rodgers and the D.
November 14, 2012 at 10:48 am
Well put. There could be lots of guys in the draft who will become capable centers. This draft does not seem to have a "Pouncey" though. There is no guy this year that everyone points at as being a plug-and-play rookie center.