GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Bryan Bulaga walked with only a slight limp and had nothing but a sock and a sandal on his right foot a day after the Green Bay Packers right tackle dropped out of practice with a right ankle injury.
"I’m not in a cast so that must mean something’s gone right,” Bulaga said Thursday.
Coach Mike McCarthy already ruled out Bulaga for Saturday’s preseason game at Denver, a move that could impact how much quarterback Aaron Rodgers plays. The Packers may not want to risk putting Rodgers out there very long with backups Kyle Murphy or Jason Spriggs blocking against the Broncos' formidable front, which includes Von Miller.
Bulaga already has turned his attention to the regular-season opener against Seattle which is just 17 days away. While X-rays on Bulaga’s ankle were negative, he said he was still awaiting results of an MRI.
Later, a source said the tests showed a sprained ankle that will not require surgery, but Bulaga will miss the rest of the preseason and then be re-evaluated the week of the opener.
“This isn’t something that I’m too worried about,” Bulaga said, although the way he said the word “too” it could have a few too many O's in it.
“It’s not something that I’m overly concerned about as of right now. Obviously it sucks, it doesn’t feel great today, probably won’t feel great tomorrow, probably won’t feel great the next day, but I’m pretty sure I should be able to bounce back from it and get my body ready to go for the opener. That’s the goal, at least.”
Bulaga hobbled off the practice field on Wednesday after he “got rolled into and the ankle got caught a little bit,” he said.
"I don’t like to do timetable things, but I’m not too concerned about it," Bulaga said. "Obviously just, I’m able to walk and it feels better as the day goes on. But I have to see what the results say and kind of go from there, but based on how it feels today and throughout the day, it’s a positive, I think. We’ll wait to see what doc says and then kind of go on from there."
Bulaga is coming off one of his best seasons -- and the first in which he played in every game since his rookie year (2010). Before his injury, the projected starting offensive line had worked together extensively throughout training camp.
Second-year pro Kyle Murphy got the first reps in Bulaga's place in practice after he dropped out.