NFL CAREER - Bullard is a nine-year NFL veteran who was originally selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round (72nd overall) of the 2016 NFL draft. He has appeared in 116 games with 53 starts for Chicago (2016-18), Arizona (2019), Seattle (2020), Atlanta (2021) and Minnesota (2022-24), recording 221 tackles (132 solo), 6.5 sacks and 28 tackles for loss. He has also appeared in three postseason contests with the Bears (2018) and Vikings (2022, 2024), tallying one sack and one tackle for loss. He will look to provide depth along the Saints defensive front in 2025.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS - Signed by New Orleans Saints to a one-year contract (FA-Min.), 7/24/25; Declared free agent from Minnesota, 3/12/25; Re-signed to a one year contract by Minnesota through 2024, 3/13/24; re-signed/unrestricted FA with Minnesota to a one-year contract through 2023, 3/21/23; Declared free agent from Minnesota, 3/15/23; Signed to a one-year contract by Minnesota Vikings (UFA-Atl.), 6/02/25; Declared free agent from Atlanta, 3/16/22; Reinstated from the reserve list, 1/12/22; Sent to the Injured reserve for COVID-19, 12/29/21; Signed to a one-year contract by Atlanta Falcons (UFA-Sea.), 4/01/21; Declared a free agent from Seattle, 3/17/21; Reinstated from the reserve list, 1/21/21; Sent to the Injured reserve for COVID-19, 1/09/21; Elevated to Seattle's active roster (Standard), 10/07/20; Signed to Arizona's practice squad, 9/06/20; Waived by Arizona, 9/05/20; re-signed/unrestricted FA with Arizona to a one-year contract through 2020, 3/23/20; Declared free agent from Arizona, 3/18/20; Acquired from waivers by Arizona, 09/01/19; Waived by Chicago, 8/31/19; Drafted 72nd overall to the Chicago Bears, signed a four-year contract through 2019, 6/06/16.
2024 - Started and played in all 17 games with the Minnesota Vikings…Helped the Vikings ascend to a 14-3 record by holding down the defensive front…Recorded four total tackles (two solo) and a season-high two tackles for loss in the first game of the season vs. Houston, 9/22/24…Tallied two total tackles (one solo) and a tackle for loss vs. San Francisco, 9/15/24…Added four tackles (one solo), one tackle for loss and a season-high of two passes defensed vs. Detroit, 10/20/25…Posted three total tackles (one solo), one pass defensed, and recorded his only sack of the season at Detroit…Recorded three total tackles (two solo) and a season-high two quarterback hits at Green Bay, 9/29/24…Tallied season-highs of five total tackles and three solo tackles at Chicago, 11/24/24…Posted four total tackles (two solo) vs. Chicago, 12/16/24…Played in a Wild Card round against the Los Angeles Rams and recorded one total tackle, 1/13/25. 2023 - Appeared in all 17 games while starting in 14 of them…Kicked off the season with four total tackles and set a season-high of three solo tackles vs Tampa Bay, 9/10/23…Recorded four total tackles (three solo) at Carolina, 10/01/23…Earned a career-high in total tackles with 8 (one solo) vs. Kansas City, 10/08/23…Tallied two total tackles, both solo, and a tackle for loss vs. San Francisco, 10/23/23…Posted two total tackles (one solo), his first sack and forced fumble of the season vs. New Orleans, 11/12/23…Added three total tackles, all three being assists, vs. Chicago, 11/27/23…Recorded three total tackles (two solo) and one tackle for loss at Las Vegas, 12/10/23…Tallied his second sack of the season at Cincinatti, 12/16/23. 2022 - Appeared in 12 games with seven starts for his first year in Minnesota…Posted three total tackles, all solo, in the second game of the season at Philadelphia, 9/19/22…Added four total tackles, all solo, and a tackle for loss vs. Detroit, 9/25/22…Recorded one total tackle and a quarterback hit at Miami, 10/16/22…Set a career-high in tackles for loss with three while he also tallied four total tackles (three solo) at Buffalo, 11/13/22…Posted four total tackles (three solo) and one tackle for loss vs. Dallas, 11/20/22…Appeared in a Wild Card Round vs. the New York Giants and recorded one sack, 1/15/23. 2021 - In his only season with Atlanta, he appeared in nine games and started in four of them…Tallied two total tackles (one solo) and one pass defensed in the first game of the season vs. Philadelphia, 9/12/21…Recorded two total tackles, both solo, vs. Washington, 10/03/21…Posted four total tackles (one solo) vs. Carolina, 10/31/21…Added a season-high of five total tackles (two solo) vs. New England, 11/18/21. 2020 - Appeared in six games with the Seahawks…Recorded one total tackle and a quarterback hit in his first appearance of the season vs Minnesota, 10/11/20…Posted one solo tackle and a quarterback hit vs. San Francisco, 11/01/20…Added a season-high of five total tackles, all being assists, vs the New York Jets, 12/13/20. 2019 - Appeared in nine games with six starts in Arizona…Recorded three total tackles (two solo) and his only solo sack of the season vs. Seattle, 9/29/19…Tallied a season-high seven total tackles, a career-high five solo tackles and a tackle for loss at Cincinatti, 10/06/19…Posted two total tackles (one solo) and a season-high two quarterback hits vs. Atlanta, 10/13/19…Added three total tackles (two solo) and a quarterback hit at New Orleans, 10/27/19…Recorded two total tackles, both solo, a quarterback hit and a tackle for loss at Tampa Bay, 11/10/19. 2018 - Appeared in all 16 games with one start in his third year with Chicago…Tallied two total tackles, both solo, and a tackle for loss vs Seattle, 9/17/18…Posted three total tackles, all solo (season-high), and a tackle for loss vs Tampa Bay, 9/20/18…Added two total tackles, both assists, at the New York Giants, 12/02/18…Appeared in a Wild Card playoff game against Philadelphia, 1/06/19. 2017 - Appeared in all 16 games and started in three of them for Chicago…Recorded two total tackles, both solo, vs. Pittsburgh, 09/24/17…Tallied three total tackles, all solo, and a forced fumble at New Orleans, 10/29/17…Posted three total tackles (one solo), a sack and two quarterback hits at Philadelphia, 11/26/17…Added a season-high four total tackles (three solo) and a tackle for loss vs San Francisco, 12/03/17…Recorded four total tackles, all assists, in the last game of the season at Minnesota, 12/31/17. 2016 - Appeared in 14 games with one start in his rookie year in Chicago…Tallied two total tackles, both solo, at Dallas, 09/25/16…Posted three total tackles, all solo (season-high), the first sack of his NFL career and two tackles for loss at Indianapolis, 10/09/16…Added two tackles (one solo) at Green Bay, 10/20/16…Recorded two total tackles, both solo, on Christmas Eve vs. Washington, 12/24/16.
COLLEGE - Played four seasons at Florida (2012-15), where he appeared in 50 career games and totaled 178 tackles (91 solo), 12.0 sacks, 27 hurries and nine passes defensed…As a freshman, Bullard helped Florida earn a share of the SEC East title. He was selected to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2012 because of his immedate impact with the Gators…In his senior season in 2015, he played a key role in leading the Gators to an outright division championship and an appearance in the SEC Championship Game against Alabama. Bullard was a consensus first-team All-SEC pick and third-team All-American. He led Florida in tackles for loss (17.5) and sacks (6.5) during his senior season. His 17.5 tackles for loss total was the most by a Gator since Alex Brown had 18 in 1999…Bullard was also a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is awarded to the most outstanding collegiate defensive player in the country.
PERSONAL - Prepped at Crest Senior HS (Shelby N.C.)...Led Crest to a 12-4 record and finished as the NCHSAA Class 3AA runner-up…Selected to the AP All-State First Team as a senior and participated in the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Bowl…A five-star prospect and rated No. 6 overall out of high school…Born October 22, 1993, in Shelby, N.C.