On Tuesday, Packers coach Mike McCarthy said that tackle Bryan Bulaga was still hopeful that he can play the 2013 season despite tearing an ACL last Saturday night.
Not all of Bulaga’s teammates share that hope. While left guard Josh Sitton would surely prefer to have Bulaga on his left shoulder and praised his toughness for remaining in practice after suffering the injury, he thinks it would be unwise for the tackle to attempt to play through the injury this season.
“If he does try to go? I would think he’s stupid,” Sitton said, via Scott Venci of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “He’s got a career to worry about. It’s not just about this year when you have something like that, so it would be dumb.”
If he does get the green light to keep playing, Bulaga wouldn’t be the first offensive lineman to muddle through with a torn ACL. Patriots guard Logan Mankins did it a couple of years ago, playing in 15 games and through the playoffs after tearing his ACL in the season opener and later tearing his MCL as well.
Mankins’ play slipped from earlier levels during that season, which is something that Bulaga and the Packers will have to keep in mind should Bulaga get the okay to continue his season. If the Packers are comfortable with David Bakhtiari or Marshall Newhouse, having them at 100 percent is likely better than a limited Bulaga on Aaron Rodgers’ blindside.