Ryan Grant on the bubble!?

[Pugger]

If Grant returns to preinjury form he is easily one of the top 15 backs in the league. He must have had a deadline and just started typing.

By the end of Grant's last full season - 2009 - he was the 7th ranked RB in the league. So unless he has truly lost a step from his ankle injury he ain't going anywhere.

[Fritz]

Is that Ryan Grant???

[pbmax]

Sounds like Grant took $1M less, but the contract is now fully guaranteed. It almost assuredly means he'll be with the team. If the Packers were thinking about cutting him, I doubt they would have agreed to fully guarantee almost $3M.

This buries the lede; Bretsky (in another thread), bobble and others were right, it looks like Grant took a $1 million dollar haircut to make the team. Which means Silverstein saw something that McGinn and other posters did not. And the team agreed. Remember, this is a GM that has said he would not ask other players to take less or restructure just to sign a FA. So this would seem to be performance based.

Under his original deal, his salary is guaranteed by Week 1. So with the new deal, he has gained two weeks of injury protection. But to take that hit (which was salary and not simply trumped up cap space) he clearly had to fear not making the team then having to sign for the vet minimum somewhere else. Its the only scenario that makes sense.

As to the earlier point that no one cuts a 1,000 yard RB unless they have to, has not been paying close attention. Running backs are fungible these days and in a 16 game season, 1,000 yards isn't what it once was in a 12 game season. Mostly its a matter of staying healthy.

[Guiness]

Google tells me there were 17 1000 yard rushers last year. I would guess that means more than half the starters in the league.
From http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_were_t...#ixzz1W5WYcoAE

Arian Foster, Texans (1616 rushing yards), Jamaal Charles, Chiefs (1467), Michael Turner, Falcons (1371), Chris Johnson, Titans (1364), Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars (1324), Adrian Peterson, Vikings (1298), Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers (1273), Steven Jackson, Rams (1241), Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants (1235), Ray Rice, Ravens (1220), Peyton Hillis, Browns (1177), Darren McFadden, Raiders (1157), Cedric Benson, Bengals (1111), LeSean McCoy, Eagles (1080), Matt Forte, Bears (1069), BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Patriots (1008), and LeGarrette Blount, Buccaneers (1007).

[King Friday]

Grant has to show me something Friday. To this point in preseason, he's been JAG. He hasn't looked particularly quick or agile, and even his decision making has been mediocre. The fact he redid his deal speaks volumes about how he felt about HIS security. Nance might be average, but he ran HARD in the last preseason game...which is more than can be said for Grant.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Grant took a $1 million dollar haircut to make the team. Which means Silverstein saw something that McGinn and other posters did not.

I think Silverstein gets some major bragging rights from this ordeal. He didn't predict things exactly, but his journalistic nose was obviously sniffing up the right cornhole. Did I just coin a phrase? No, it doesn't make any sense.

At any rate, its time for some groveling from the people who said that Silverstein was nuts, or just looking for attention. Silverstein correctly sensed that Grant was not in a secure position. Come to think of it, I sorta said Silverstein was grandstanding, so I'll offer the first apology.

[pbmax]

I think Silverstein gets some major bragging rights from this ordeal. He didn't predict things exactly, but his journalistic nose was obviously sniffing up the right cornhole. Did I just coin a phrase? No, it doesn't make any sense.

At any rate, its time for some groveling from the people who said that Silverstein was nuts, or just looking for attention. Silverstein correctly sensed that Grant was not in a secure position. Come to think of it, I sorta said Silverstein was grandstanding, so I'll offer the first apology.

I came to this story late and was surprised the story wasn't from a source (Packers or agent) airing some info publicly to drive leverage. Its usually McGinn who sees these things coming, but "Spoon" caught this one and did not have to attribute it to anyone else.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I came to this story late and was surprised the story wasn't from a source (Packers or agent) airing some info publicly to drive leverage.

That was my first thought. But then I thought the team wouldn't be so sleazy as to leak this story to soften-up Grant. I'm not being sarcastic, I think the team is a little more business-like than some agents. They have to protect their reputation for fair dealing.

[Smidgeon]

Grant has to show me something Friday. To this point in preseason, he's been JAG. He hasn't looked particularly quick or agile, and even his decision making has been mediocre. The fact he redid his deal speaks volumes about how he felt about HIS security. Nance might be average, but he ran HARD in the last preseason game...which is more than can be said for Grant.

I think he's still recovering. Someone (i.e. PR poster who attended practice, reporter) noted that Grant lost muscle in his legs due to being on crutches for so long. I just think he needs some time to get back to good. In the meantime, Starks seems to be doing better in practices.

[bobblehead]

I think Silverstein gets some major bragging rights from this ordeal. He didn't predict things exactly, but his journalistic nose was obviously sniffing up the right cornhole. Did I just coin a phrase? No, it doesn't make any sense.

At any rate, its time for some groveling from the people who said that Silverstein was nuts, or just looking for attention. Silverstein correctly sensed that Grant was not in a secure position. Come to think of it, I sorta said Silverstein was grandstanding, so I'll offer the first apology.

Yes, that silversein guy is pretty sharp, and way ahead of things.

[bobblehead]

Yes, I expect that is exactly what is going on here. The Ryan Grant Fan Club will remember, tho.

On an unrelated note, I just remember a great get-rich-quick idea I had. You start, say, 512 stock-picker newsletters. Half of them say "buy", the other half say "sell". You fold the half that are wrong. Well, after 8 rounds of this charade, you are the hot, brilliant financial whiz whose newsletter has been right-on a phenomenal 8 times in a row! This is how bobblehead got his start.

Ooops! Its ok HH, I expect as much.

[vince]

By guaranteeing his full salary, the Packers showed that they did not want to cut Grant, but found themselves needing to gain more space under the cap, so they gave some to get what they wanted. The Packers got the guy they wanted and bought some cap space in exchange for committing to him for the year.

Silverstein comments (wrongly) about Grant's salary at the end of the article, but most of the article is about the respective players' performance on the field. The simple truth is he got it wrong, and was scooped bigtime on the real story. That happens, but Silverstein can hardly be shouting any kind of victory from the rooftops here. Unless Grant ends up being cut, his whole article was wrong and based on the wrong facts.

Had Grant played hardball and refused to renegotiate, I assume the Packers would have cut him, but we'll never know exactly how the deal went. Again, based on them being willing to guarantee his full salary, it's pretty clear they didn't want to at that time.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Really? Personal attacks on the guy who talks more about his predictions that miss than the ones that hit? I would say you are better than this but......

I didn't mention you because of anything in the forum, I just seemed to remember you worked in financial markets. It wasn't an attack, just a joke.

[smuggler]

You are a moron.

Calling someone names in a discussion is an admission of defeat, so thanks for admitting you were wrong about Grant.

[sharpe1027]

I talk more about whiffing on my prediction of Allen Babre turning into a good guard than I do about my predictions that came true (Like when I said TT and MM would push Favre out after the 2007 season when Favre was pissing on MM).

I was referencing the article by Silverstein.