Packers Reportedly Re-Sign Don Barclay
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Green Bay will bring back the veteran offensive lineman for 2016.
By PackerAaron
Tom Silverstien has the goods.
Tackle Don Barclay, an unrestricted free agent, will re-sign with the team and take part in the off-season workout program that begins Monday. A source said that Barclay had returned to town and the indication he was given was that the fifth-year veteran was being re-signed.
The Packers are hoping being another year removed from a torn ACL he suffered in the summer of 2014 will help him return to the form he showed his first two seasons when he started 18 regular-season games and was considered a top backup.
Barclay offers the Packers what will most-likely be cheap insurance along the offensive line.
I get the idea that the team thinks he can return to his pre-injury form, but I think they may be looking back at that time with some Green and Gold glasses. Barclay was serviceable prior to injury. Last year, he was dreadful. And yes, it doesn't help that the Packers keep insisting on playing him at tackle when he shouldn't be anywhere but guard.
The Packers won some games with Barclay playing tackle. They also got embarassed so badly one time that they overreacted by moving Josh Sitton to left tackle.
Of course, bringing Barclay back now doesn't mean he'll be on the final 53 man roster. I get that. He'll come to camp and compete. I just don't like bringing back a mediocre football player. You're about draft and develop, right? Barclay hasn't developed much. It should have been time to move on.
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Comments (34)
DrealynWilliams
April 17, 2016 at 09:05 pm
D'oh!
ray nichkee
April 17, 2016 at 09:13 pm
Post injury barclays tackle days are over. I still think he can be mean as a back up guard.
Point-Packer
April 17, 2016 at 11:13 pm
Based on what?
Samson
April 17, 2016 at 10:04 pm
The Pack will need a healthy season from all 5 OL starters. Barclay having to start at all is a problem but a yet undrafted unproven rookie might not work either. -- Don't you just love TT's D&D approach. -- Guaranteed - no depth.
tm_inter
April 17, 2016 at 10:16 pm
Re-signing Barclay probably means that TT is not confident he can find a decent OL from the up-coming draft. I'd rather forget about Barclay and move on.
DrealynWilliams
April 17, 2016 at 10:51 pm
"Re-signing Barclay probably means that TT is not confident he can find a decent OL from the up-coming draft"
This makes no sense.
Oppy
April 17, 2016 at 10:55 pm
There's 53 men on a roster. Only 22 are 'starters'. The rest are role players and back ups. Probably about 30% of any NFL roster are what people like to call "Mediocre" players. That's just another word for average. The players that are worse than average get cut. The ones that are better than average get starting roles. What's left over are the guys who grind and do what's asked of them. They carve out a living. They play roles that contribute to a team's overall success.
Point-Packer
April 17, 2016 at 11:13 pm
What's Barclays role?
Giving up sacks at RT?
Giving up sacks at LT?
Mimicking a sive?
Being slow and below mediocre at any position he plays?
Wasting a roster spot?
Putting out franchise QB in harms way?
Sucking ass at playing offensive line?
Being the lone Packer who shouldn't be in the NFL?
Old Donnie must know how to tickle TTs prostrate just right, cause the guy wouldn't make another roster or even be given a chance on any other team in the NFL.
What a joke.
marpag1
April 18, 2016 at 01:55 am
Yeah, it's hard to fathom why there aren't more all-pros at back up positions. You would think every team would do it. Weird.
Evan
April 18, 2016 at 11:29 am
If you listen to a lot of the people on this site, there are quality veteran o-linemen just waiting by the phone mid-season.
If only Ted wasn't so cheap and stubborn.
Point-Packer
April 18, 2016 at 12:46 pm
Not asking for an all-pro, just somone who, in limited action (five starts), won't give up the highest number of sacks in a season on the Packers o-line in an attempt to protect our HOF QB's front and back side.
Extreme homers trying to defend Barclay is beyond amusing. The guy was so bad last year we had to move our all-pro LG to LT, a position he had not played since high school. And yet, somehow you extreme homers can't find it in yourself to criticize TT for giving him another shot. Guy doesn't deserve one and won't be in the NFL, unlesss he is on the Packers roster.
Based on what MM has said about "Donnie Barclay the fighter" they must have some Irish Catholic, Pitt Steeler fandom love affair going on.
marpag1
April 18, 2016 at 01:44 pm
Dude, what article are you reading??
As for this article, the author said that Barclay was "dreadful" last year. Drealyn simply said, "D'oh!" Ray nichkee said he might be a backup. Tm_inter said, "I'd rather forget about Barclay and move on." Oppy referred to players like Barclay as "mediocre" and "grinders." TheGreatReynoldo said "he was pretty bad." Nick Perry said it was OK to have him in camp but only if there is "very, very little guaranteed money." Bearmeat agreed, and even referred to Barclay as "putrid" at OT. He also added, "Give me a developmental rock over this guy." RCPackerFan said it was OK to bring him back, but added that he is definitely NOT a tackle. Since '61 said, "I don't see him making the team." Dobber also noted that Barclay is in no way assured of a roster spot. Scullyitsme said that they can check him out in camp, and if he needs to be cut "no harm, no foul."
So can you please explain who the hell all of these "amusing, extreme homers" are that you blather on about?
Either you don't know how to read, or you are simply intent on exercising your formidable skills in jackassery.
barutanseijin
April 18, 2016 at 04:49 pm
Right because either you're all pro or worse than Barclay.
Oppy
April 18, 2016 at 11:15 am
He underperformed the season after having knee surgery? Crazy.
Side bet: if the packers cut Barclay before the season, he's picked up and on another teams active roster this season.
Point-Packer
April 18, 2016 at 12:40 pm
Yeah, and if he is, he'll last as long in the NFL as MD Jennings did after he left the Packers.
Oppy
April 18, 2016 at 08:50 pm
How about Breno Giacomini? He got cut by the Packers, played with seattle for two years, then started every game for the Jets the last two seasons. Marshall Newhouse? Even Marshall Newhouse was still in the league for two years after being cut by the Packers. Daryn Colledge was in the league with the Cards and the Dolphins for 4 seasons after leaving the Packers.
Are you so sure that Barclay gets cut and simply disappears? it's easy. It's a gentlemen's bet. I don't even think it happens, because I'm guessing Barclay probably makes the roster by a nose. But if he does get cut before the season starts, I bet he lands on a team's 53 this season.
dobber
April 18, 2016 at 03:21 pm
"the guy wouldn't make another roster or even be given a chance on any other team in the NFL."
People said the same things about Marshall Newhouse, but he was signed as a backup and started several games for the Giants last year.
Point-Packer
April 18, 2016 at 07:35 pm
I'd take Marshall Newhouse over Don Barclay in a second.
DrealynWilliams
April 18, 2016 at 12:40 am
MD Jennings...
RCPackerFan
April 18, 2016 at 10:38 am
Sometimes you have to have a Doctor to get a Ha-Ha...
Thegreatreynoldo
April 18, 2016 at 12:10 am
No surprise if there is no guaranteed money. MM always has oversold Barclay. Even before his knee injury, he was pretty bad. As a RT, he could run block at league average, but his pass pro was bad. Taylor (and maybe Walker) are better guards. This probably is aimed at back-up RT. Still hoping on Rotherham.
There are 7 locks on OL: Bakh, Sitton, Linsley, Lang, Bulaga, Tretter and Taylor (Taylor might be better characterized as an excellent bet given his $600K guaranteed money). That leaves 1 or 2 open spots for Barclay, Walker, Rotherham, Vujnovich, Kowalski and rookie(s).
I'd bet that Barclay doesn't make the 53.
croatpackfan
April 18, 2016 at 05:36 am
From this post to the ears of God!
NickPerry
April 18, 2016 at 06:00 am
I'd guess there's very, very little guaranteed money if any and it's it's nothing more than checking on Barclays progress 2 years removed from the knee injury, just as Aaron suggested.
Bearmeat
April 18, 2016 at 06:19 am
That had better be what it is. Because he is so putrid at OT that he's not worth a roster spot. And OG/C are covered by Taylor and Tretter. Actually, OT is covered by Tretter too.
Give me a developmental rook over this guy. Ugh.
RCPackerFan
April 18, 2016 at 06:39 am
There is nothing wrong with bringing Barclay back. As long as he is not used in ways he shouldn't be used in. Barclay is NOT a LT. They can not use him there. He can be a decent backup RT and guard however.
Right now it makes sense to bring him back. What is it going to hurt to bring back a guy who has played a lot, and is another year removed from a torn ACL. Also if they draft a couple of OL and they turn out to be better then Barclay, then let him go.
Razer
April 18, 2016 at 08:07 am
Sounds about right. Let's hope that we have a solid group after training camp. If we are talking about the same cast of characters heading into next season - then I'll worry.
barutanseijin
April 18, 2016 at 04:53 pm
It's a waste of a roster spot, coaching resources and cap money because the guy has proven he can't get the job done. You cut bait with guys like this .
Since'61
April 18, 2016 at 08:19 am
At this point I don't see Barclay making the team, especially if the Packers draft an OL in the early rounds. He will provide some competition for the rookies and for Walker, Rotterham and Vujnovich. This is a low cost move to check his recovery from his ACL and to provide low cost insurance against an unexpected rash of injuries during TC. If everyone remains healthy and a rookie is impressive Barclay is gone. Thanks, Since '61
dobber
April 18, 2016 at 09:48 am
Everyone's going nuts. The Packers haven't anointed him a savior, or a starter, or even guaranteed him a spot on the 53. At this stage, he's a camp body. Not much more than that...and he might not even make it that far.
Move on, people...
Evan
April 18, 2016 at 10:30 am
I. Am. Outraged.
scullyitsme
April 18, 2016 at 10:49 am
Right, you'd think he was evil incarnate. Everyone seems to have forgotten he played pretty good ball for the Pack until the injury and ACl's take longer for some people to heal. If he's still bad in camp they cut him, no harm no foul. Everyone forgot to take their over reaction pills.
J0hn Denver's Gavel
April 18, 2016 at 08:13 pm
He wouldn't even make my flag football team. Suite sign, Ted. Why stop there? Let's get Newhouse, Sherrod, Spitz, Meredith and Whittacker back in the mix. They may offer even more than ol' Donny! Death to Rodgers! Ole! OLE!
4EVER
April 19, 2016 at 10:38 am
"Barclay hasn't developed much. It should have been time to move on."
Can't say I don't disagree with that statement. TT isn't the devious business type though, it's personal, and he's going to give Don another shot. Really would have like to dip into the FA though. Yet - seemingly impossible - maybe the price was just to good to pass up? It would be preposterous to see Don making the 2016 53 roster...TT needs to move on from his misses or casualties, in a more timely manner.
guzzi2000
April 19, 2016 at 12:31 pm
At this point no harm no foul. Come September we will see.