Ryan Grant thinks he’ll be the starter

[CaptainD]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/07/11/ryan-grant-thinks-hell-be-the-starter-in-green-bay/

Running back Ryan Grant contributed only eight carries and 45 yards to the Packers’ 2010 title run. But despite 703 regular-season yards from Brandon Jackson and a league-best 315 in the postseason from James Starks, Grant expects to still be at the top of the depth chart.

And the team does, too. Grant thinks.

“From what I’ve heard, that’s the conversation that was told to me,” Grant told WSSP radio, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. “I was told that by [former running backs coach Edgar Bennett], initially. Jerry [Fontenot, the new position coach] didn’t tell me that anything changed. Jerry told me that as of right now I’m still the leader of the backfield and the expectations won’t change. . . . I do believe there will be competition, which is fine. I’m all for that.”

The Packers owe Grant $1 million on the 15th day of the new league year. Unlike most league years, 2011 will give the Packers a chance to see whether Grant can truly compete before making a decision on that $1 million roster bonus.

And if in those early days of camp the Packers decide that Grant isn’t ready to reclaim his job, there’s a chance that the Packers will decide to save their money and go with the guys who helped take the team to the top of the league in 2010.

I believe he is correct. We only saw James Starks at the end of the year and lord knows Bjax is not a full time answer. I think Grant is the main man in 2011...2012 is a different story.

[Brandon494]

Why wouldnt he be the starter? He's the clear favorite IMO.

[bobblehead]

He might not be the starter for many reasons. He may not be the same RG we have seen. If he has lost even the slightest bit, we could save the money, resign BJack and lean on starks. Also, I recall when sterling sharpe held out back when...the instant he wasn't of use to the team they cut him. Grant leveraged the Favre situation for his nice contract, and I highly doubt TT has amnesia.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Starter or not, he will give the running game a big boost. Half the carries to him and the other half to Starks is what I see happening.

[Tarlam!]

He might not be the starter for many reasons. He may not be the same RG we have seen. If he has lost even the slightest bit, we could save the money, resign BJack and lean on starks. Also, I recall when sterling sharpe held out back when...the instant he wasn't of use to the team they cut him. Grant leveraged the Favre situation for his nice contract, and I highly doubt TT has amnesia.

The Grant holdout never got ugly. RG was publicly very respectful. He also earned the money they paid him, IMO. I'm with B494 on this. RG is #1.

[Joemailman]

Grant will be #1 on the depth chart on the first day of training camp, for what it's worth. He'll get a battle from Starks though, and may not win that battle.

[vince]

Grant goes in as the leader of the group, but he'll have to compete hard to maintain that spot. I can't wait to see Alex Green too. I've defended Grant in the past, and he'll definitely get his carries, but the other guys will get touches too and I think if any of them get a hot hand, McCarthy will ride them.

I think Green will eventually prove to be the best guy to protect leads and kill clock late in games, assuming he's secure with the ball. Starks can be a punishing runner too, but Green runs the hardest and I think will be the best finisher.

[Patler]

He might not be the starter for many reasons. He may not be the same RG we have seen. If he has lost even the slightest bit, we could save the money, resign BJack and lean on starks. Also, I recall when sterling sharpe held out back when...the instant he wasn't of use to the team they cut him. Grant leveraged the Favre situation for his nice contract, and I highly doubt TT has amnesia.

Big difference between the Sharpe situation and Grant's. Sharpe was under contract and decided to go out on a hold out. Grant was not under contract, simply refused to sign the one year tender offer, and opted to negotiate for a long term contract instead. What Grant did is no different than what Franks did or Pickett did when they were tagged. They didn't sign the tender offer and negotiated a long term deal instead. That was Grant's stated plan long before the Favre situation developed into what it did. Grant's plan of action was put in place before Favre "unretired". If the team felt pressure to do something because of the Favre situation, that was hardly Grant's fault.

[vince]

Sharpe had a neck issue and was forced to retire wasn't he? If a guy's career ends due to potential paralysis, how is "cutting" him somehow related back to his contract negotiation?

[Fritz]

I thought that cutting Sharpe surprised everyone. What I'd heard, the neck was healing and the idea was to bring him back slowly - until Wolf cut his ass.

[MadtownPacker]

Grant might start as the starter but only cuz there isn't gonna be a preseason. He won't keep the spot all season, if there is one.

[vince]

Sterling Sharpe Biography - Chronology, Career Statistics, Awards And Accomplishments

http://sports.jrank.org/pages/4387/Sharpe-Sterling.html#ixzz1Rqat3XHj

But Sharpe's improvisation could not save his game after he suffered a debilitating injury to the top two vertebrae in his neck. The injury occurred when his neck snapped back while blocking a player in a game. Although he received a clean bill of health immediately following the incident, the injury worsened when he was tackled in the next game he played, resulting in numbness and tingling in his limbs. The team physician, Patrick McKenzie declared that Sharpe would require surgery to fuse the dangerously loose vertebrae. It was the final blow to Sharpe's career, and it forced his retirement from the game.

Up until that point, Sharpe's 3-year production was unprecedented in history. I find it very hard to believe the Packers would have cut Sharpe had he not suffered a career-ending injury. I find it equally hard to believe that emotional baggage going back to a contract negotiation will have anything whatever to do with Thompson's decision-making with Grant. Besides, Ted Thompson doesn't have emotions.

[RashanGary]

Grant is the guy on day 1.

Both Starks and Green have a lot of potential. I don't know if I've said this here or not, but I've listened to every Ted Thompson interview in the 5 or 6 years he's been here, whatever it's been. There have been two times Ted Thompson said a players tape was special. The first, Clay Matthews. The second, Alex Green.

I think it's scout talk 101, if a guys tape is special, that means his game is special. I love Green's highlight film. He breaks tackles, he's as fast as they come at that size, he has crazy moves for a guy his size. He can catch the ball. He can do it all. To quote Ted Thompson, "he was the man at Hawaii." Whenever I make predictions on players, probably 85% of it is listening to TT. As little as he says, I think I can get a feel for what he's thinking a lot of the time. I think Ted believes this guy is special, therefor I think he's special.

Oh, the other time he almost said a guys tape was special was Josh Sitton. He didn't say his tape was special, but he said, "he blocks his guy every time." That's kind of a compliment when a guys job on every play is to block a guy.

If you really listen, 95% of what Thompson says is BS, but 5%, he gives hints when he's confident. It's hard to pick up on, but it's there.

Watch. Alex Green is a star.

[Kiwon]

Starks looked pretty good. I'd say it is a jump ball at this point. Each guy should have an equal chance to win the job in training camp (whenever that will be).

[Tarlam!]

There have been two times Ted Thompson said a players tape was special. The first, Clay Matthews. The second, Alex Green.

You crack me up, JH. TT was also all gushy about Brohm, IIRC, but I know for a fact he said the same type of stuff about Harrell and how the fans that booed at the pick would be eating crow. Shit. You even went from Nick Collins to Justin Harrell!

In reality, filtering that 5% you're talking about is akin to divining for water! What kinda dowsing stick you using?