Lerentee McCray Contract Details
- Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com has the details of linebacker Lerentee McCray‘s recently signed contract with the Packers. McCray got a $50K signing bonus and could make another $75K in workout bonuses – a high amount for a street free agent, Demovsky notes – and $200K in sack incentives (Twitter link). McCray, 25, was mostly a contributor on special teams with Denver from 2014-15, but the Packers believe he’s capable of helping them defensively. “We think he’s got a nice body type, he’s got good athletic ability, shows the ability to be an outside ‘backer with length and that sort of thing,” said general manager Ted Thompson.
Nebraska OL Alex Lewis Visited Packers
- Nebraska offensive lineman Alex Lewis has logged official visits with the Cardinals, Titans, Giants, Colts, Eagles, Ravens, Lions, Bears, Packers and Saints, tweets Mike Jurecki of FOX Sports 910 (Twitter link).
Packers Interested In Ohio State TE Nick Vannett
- Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett worked out for and/or visited the Panthers, Titans, Falcons, Patriots, Chargers, Packers and previously reported Jets, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Packers Sign Lerentee McCray
- Another special teams ace, linebacker Lerentee McCray, has signed with the Packers, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. The 25-year-old McCray had appeared in 24 games over the past two seasons with the Broncos.
Packers Re-Sign Don Barclay
MONDAY, 4:31pm: The Packers have made their deal with Barclay official, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
SUNDAY, 6:13pm: Don Barclay returned to Green Bay as the Packers are preparing to convene for the start of their offseason program and did so with the intent to re-sign with the team, a source tells Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The fifth-year lineman served as a backup for most of his tenure with the Packers and is an unrestricted free agent. A former undrafted free agent, Barclay has started 23 games in his career. Barclay will begin working with the Packers again Monday, when they start their offseason voluntary workouts.
The league’s most conservative franchise in terms of signing outside free agents, the Packers have brought back James Starks and Nick Perry.
Barclay started five for the injured Bryan Bulaga last season, doing so to mediocre reviews. Pro Football Focus tabbed the West Virginia product as its second-worst full-time guard, ranking Barclay 76th out of 77 guards who played enough snaps to qualify. Barclay played just 32.6% of the Packers’ snaps, per Silverstein, last season yet surrendered nine sacks — the most on the team.
Barclay, though, started 18 games during his first two seasons prior to missing 2014 with a torn ACL, and the team is hoping he can recapture that form as he moves further away from the severe knee injury, per Silverstein.
Green Bay still has Bulaga and David Bakhtiari as its starting tackles, with the latter entering a contract year. Guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang are also entering their contract campaigns.
Packers Undecided On John Kuhn Return
The Packers have discussed bringing back fullback John Kuhn but haven’t decided to keep their longtime backfield blocker in the fold as of yet, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Kuhn’s agent, Kevin Gold, has talked with the Packers and other teams about the three-time Pro Bowl fullback, but Silverstein reports no decision is imminent on the eve of Green Bay’s start to its offseason program.
The 33-year-old Kuhn has played 156 games for the Packers, suiting up in green and gold for 10 of his 11 years in the league. Kuhn played ahead of 2015 sixth-rounder Aaron Ripkowski last season and made his third Pro Bowl. The Packers, who are also expected to sign Don Barclay on Monday, have $10.6MM in cap space currently.
A Division II product, Kuhn has been in this situation in recent years. Despite Kuhn being the fullback on the 2014 All-Pro first team, the Packers were able to re-sign him for the league minimum last April after agreeing to a similar one-year pact in advance of the ’14 season. Kuhn played in 23.4% of the offensive snaps last season, per Silverstein.
Here’s the latest coming out of the Packers’ top rivals’ camps.
Examining Packers' RB Situation
- Elsewhere in the NFC North, Mike Spofford of Packers.com examines Green Bay’s running back situation, noting that Eddie Lacy is not guaranteed to be a member of the Packers beyond 2016. Lacy’s rookie contract expires after this season, and it’s not clear if Green Bay has plans of extending him.
Chris Banjo Signs ERFA Tender
- Packers safety Chris Banjo has signed his exclusive rights tender, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Banjo hasn’t made much of a defensive impact in his three-year career, but he is one of the Packers’ top special teamers. The 26-year-old accrued a team-best 21 special teams tackles in 16 appearances last season.
Will Packers Re-Sign Veterans?
- With seven members of the Packers‘ 2016 free agent class still unsigned, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com explores whether or not Green Bay will eventually re-sign players like fullback John Kuhn, linebacker Mike Neal, and others.
- Texas-El Paso defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris is set to visit the Packers next, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
Packers Met With Moritz Boehringer
- German wide receiver Moritz Boehringer had team visits with the Chiefs, Packers, and Vikings last week, as Andy Fenelon of NFL.com writes. On Monday and Tuesday, he met with the Rams, on Wednesday he’ll visit the Seahawks, and next week he’ll visit the Saints, Falcons, and Panthers. Boehringer started turning heads in the NFL last month and one scout estimated in March that he could go in the fourth round. Based on the number of teams interested in him, one has to wonder if Boehringer could go even earlier.