Green Bay Packers: Can Justin McCray Be A Starting Guard?
By Hunter Noll
The Green Bay Packers offensive line has its up downs, but does Justin McCray have what it takes to find a spot in the starting rotation?
The Green Bay Packers starting offensive line isn’t exactly set in stone. While some positions are clearly filled, others present a question mark. They have their tackles in David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga. Both are the obvious tackles for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, the center is Corey Linsley. His position isn’t as set, however. While he is definitely the starter for now, injuries have raised question marks.
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Finally, there are the guards. Lane Taylor will be covering one side. The other side, however, is open for interpretation. The Packers could definitely draft someone, but they do have some viable options already on the roster. One of those options is Justin McCray.
McCray is a 24-year-old out of the University of Central Florida. He’s also spent time in the Arena Football League. While an undrafted free agent from 2014 doesn’t seem like the ideal option to start, he’s got some perks. First off, McCray is 6-3, 317 pounds, so he definitely has size on him. Second, don’t underestimate the AFL.
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Another AFL alum has become a crucial part of another NFL offensive line recently. Ty Nsekhe played in the AFL for years while trying to find a job in the NFL. He finally stuck with the Washington Redskins in 2015, and is now their No. 1 reserve.
Nsekhe has started in six games over the last two seasons. Even though he re-signed with them over the offseason, there was plenty of speculation that he’d leave because other teams could offer him a starting role.
While I’m not saying McCray will definitely be a success story like that, it’s clear you shouldn’t write someone off based on where they played in the past. Finally, he’s athletic for his size. He’s light on his feet, quick, and strong.
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There are plenty of options for the Packers at right guard in 2017. McCray just so happens to be one of the more underrated choices.