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Though signs point to Bryan Bulaga returning to the team, the Green Bay Packers still need a backup plan for the right tackle position. They now have that in Don Barclay.
The Packers have now taken steps to retain two of their three restricted free agents, as ESPN's Rob Demovsky reports that Barclay has joined Sean Richardson in receiving tenders as restricted free agents (Richardson's was reported earlier today by Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). This means that the Packers will have the opportunity to match any contract offer sheet that either player may receive from another team this offseason. However, the team used the "original-round" tender on both players, and since they were signed as undrafted rookie free agents, Green Bay would not receive any compensation if they choose not to match any offer.
That tender is worth $1,542,000 for each player for the 2015 season.
A versatile player who can play either guard position, Barclay started at right tackle for much of the 2013 season when Bulaga was out with a torn ACL. He also filled in briefly in his rookie year in 2012. The 2014 season was lost for the West Virginia product, though, as he tore his own ACL in training camp.
Richardson was a stalwart on special teams and contributed sparingly in the Packers' big nickel formation against the run. The biggest defensive back on the roster at 6'2" and 216 pounds, Richardson brings a big, physical presence to the position not found in any other member of the secondary.
The final restricted free agent for the Packers became unrestricted at 4:00 PM Eastern today, because he did not receive a tender, as was widely expected. Wide receiver Jarrett Boykin had an impressive second half of the 2013 season but was all but invisible in 2014. Boykin appears unlikely to return to the Packers in any capacity.
With the two tenders added to the salary cap calculation, we project the Packers to have approximately $23.6 million in cap space.