Bulaga pulled out of Thursday’s practice during individual drills, and trainers began looking at his left knee immediately.
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Coach Mike McCarthy offered no timetable for Bulaga’s return; only that he will not play this Sunday.
Barclay, who started in Bulaga’s place in 2012 and 2013 but is coming off a torn ACL of his own suffered in training camp last summer, is the presumptive starter but McCarthy stopped short of naming him.
ESPN said more tests were scheduled Friday to determine the severity of the sprain, according to the source, but the initial diagnosis was that he would not need surgery. It also explains why he was active against the Chicago Bears while Lane Taylor, who played in all 16 games during the 2014 regular season, was not. Rob Demovsky reported that Cobb was limited in practice on Thursday, but that he will suit up on Sunday night.
“I talked to him today”.
McCarthy refused to name a replacement starter at right tackle, but the most likely choice is Don Barclay despite his preseason struggles.
“I feel prepared”, Barclay said after ractice Thursday. “The coaches have done a good job of giving me reps all over the board, both tackles and guard”.
“But I know how I feel on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and then to have to play a game on Thursday, it’s tough”. Barclay took over for the injured Bulaga in 2013, starting 15 games at right tackle, including the playoffs.
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Bulaga has been a staple of Green Bay’s offensive line since the Packers selected him in the first round of the 2010 draft, but he’s fallen victim to knee injuries several times over the past five years. In any other case, the Packers have been all in pads for practice, together with safety Morgan Burnett, who missed the opener with a calf injury.
