1) Introduction: Everyone’s favorite Packers wrestling jobber went from an afterthought in training camp to an important player down the stretch. Barclay did enough to make the team, then did enough after being forced into the starting lineup to merit a look at starting somewhere on the line next season.
2) Profile:
Don Barclay
- Age: 23
- Born: 04/18/1989, in Cranberry, PA
- Height: 6’4″
- Weight: 305
- College: West Virginia
- Rookie Year: 2012
- NFL Experience: 1 years
3) Expectations coming into the season: Longshot. As an undrafted free agent, Barclay was a longshot to make team. Once he made the team, he was a longshot to make any sort of impact if he ever saw the field. Yes, expectations were low, and Barclay exceeded them.
4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: While Barclay may have played better than expected, he still was far from great. The low-point of his season came in the season finale against the Vikings when he allowed 2 1/2 sacks. Barclay’s season highlight probably came less than a week later when he turned in a good performance against Minnesota in the wild-card round.
5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: The Packers ran the ball better toward the end of the season and I think Barclay’s toughness helped. He’s too small to be a wipeout type of run-blocker, at least this early in his career, but he really gets after guys. The attitude and toughness is there. Let’s see if some experience and maybe an offseason in the weight room helps Barclay take the next step.
6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: Offensive line play wasn’t the problem for the Packers in the playoffs. Barclay played well against Minnesota, and even though he struggled against San Francisco, he wasn’t terrible.
Season Report Card:
(A-) Level of expectations met during the season
(C-) Contributions to team’s overall success.
(C) Contributions to team during the playoffs
Overall Grade: C+
——————
Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .
——————
May develop into a good backup this year. Not ready to start yet. Needs to add 25 pounds. His enthusiasm and strength seem to be pretty good. He may have a good future ahead if he works hard at minimizing mistakes.
For being thrown in after Bulaga got hurt, he did pretty well. Seems like he may have some upside. At least we may have someone that is a good prospect/back-up.
Barclay is probably best suited to play OG than OT. If he can gain some wt to the 315 or 320 it would help him immensely to work into the rotation on the interior and maybe push for a starting job. I don’t think he’ll continue to be an OT, unless Sherrod can’t return and Datko doesn’t show anything.
I like him. Both he and Newhouse jumped into tough positions and played admirably. If Bulaga and Sherrod can make complete recoveries we are only a center short of a decent line.
he helped the packers salvage the season. he was not great as you said, but he was a better RT than EDS was a LG. Right now he is a fantastic backup, and I would also think he could be a fantastic LG given another year in the strength and conditioning program. he was given help all year, but for a UDFA to help create some semblance of a running game is huge.
i would put his level of expectations met at A+. just making the team was huge, starting down the stretch and a playoff game was even bigger.
Yeah, I’m not sure how a fringe player who ends up starting and bringing a mean streak to a lackluster OLine gets an A-. A+ for him.
Barclay is a diamond in the rough, we lucked out here guys. We have a solid backup at OG and good backup OT, behind Bulaga, Sherrod and Newhouse. Going to make it more difficult for Datko to make the team now. All we need is 1 more lineman, a center with the ability to be challenge EDS, and the OL in set. With Thompson unearthing Barclay for nothing, we don’t have to waste a mid to low round pick on a offensive lineman and can use that pick to trade up into the earlier rounds for WR, LB, and maybe CB now that Woodson is gone. Can’t wait to see Barclay next year, should be able to add strength and be better.