The Green Bay Packers are bringing back a versatile offensive lineman who has started at three different positions during the last two seasons.
According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, the Packers have retained offensive lineman Justin McCray with an exclusive rights tender worth $645,000 in 2019:
An exclusive rights free agent is a player with an expiring contract and two or fewer accrued seasons in the NFL.
McCray, an undrafted free agent who signed with the Packers in 2017, has played 25 games with 13 starts over the last two seasons.
The 26-year-old became a versatile backup as a first-year player in 2017 and then won the starting right guard job in 2018. A knee injury suffered in Week 3 opened the door for Byron Bell to take over starting duties. McCray ended up playing 480 snaps on offense, mostly at right guard.
Although McCray may never be more than a replacement level starter along the offensive line, he has tremendous value as a multi-positional backup who can play both guard spots, center and right tackle in a pinch.
The goal now for the Packers will be creating more competition at right guard entering the 2019 season.
McCray will be eligible for restricted free agency in 2020 if he accrues another season in 2019.
