When are we going to sign Ryan Grant?

[Aa-Rod_is_cool]

What is up with the PACKERS!? 1st they say if brett wants to play hes gonna be a backup to rodgers.. now the offer to Grant was a 370,000 dollar deal. So most likely he's not gonna be there at training camp.

Are you kidding me? Wow this is pissin me off. Obviously the packers think they can do just fine without Grant and Favre who were arguably the 2 best offensive players on the packers roster last year. Just give Grant his well deserved money so we don't lose another one.

[packercorey]

I agree.

Packergeeks just posted this on the issue:

As we said before, this situation is really hard to comment on without knowing the actual dollar figures being thrown around. But we can at least say both sides should be working hard to get this done. The one thing that is certain as far as I’m concerned is that Grant should not play for a $370,000 tender. He definitely deserves a fair, re-worked contract after the brilliant showing he had last year.

Link to article here: http://packergeeks.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/ryan-grants-impending-holdout-not-good/

The article references this good one from Tom Silverstein: http://blogs.jsonline.com/packers/archive/2008/07/25/grant-negotiations-hit-standstill.aspx

What Ryan Grant's agent thought was a promising beginning to negotiations has become nothing more than a false start and the chances of the Green Bay Packers running back being in uniform for the start of training camp don't look good.

[packercorey]

Grant is not goinmg to be in Camp now?

WTF!
Greg Bedard- article in JSONLINE

"I am concerned, because missing (off-season practices) is a lot different than missing training camp practices," Mike McCarthy said Saturday. "I know both sides are working diligently to get this business matter resolved, and I'm hopeful we do that in a short time frame."

The two sides remain apart on a long-term contract agreement that would keep Grant in Green Bay well beyond this season. Talks will have to progress quickly in the next few days, or Grant will start to fall behind the other backs.

Grant's agent, Alan Herman, has said that Grant will not report to camp without a new contract, thus the fourth-year back will not be in attendance when McCarthy calls roll this morning. Grant is currently in the New York area working out and waiting for Herman to give him the word that it's time to go to work.

What is the frickin hold up?

Here is the the link to the article: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=776771

[packercorey]

This is just getting ridiculous.

according to Jason Wilde at madison.com

Not only is Ryan Grant not reporting to camp for today's first practice, the Green Bay Packers' unsigned starting running back is "livid" over the club's initial contract offer, his agent said.

"It's a joke. It's an absolute joke," agent Alan Herman said Sunday night, roughly 24 hours after receiving what he said was an offer from Packers negotiator Russ Ball of a six-year deal that included just $1.75 million in guaranteed money. "It's insulting. I don't believe it.

"Ryan's feelings about the Green Bay Packers at this point are not very good. He is livid. He is very angry."

Link to article here: http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports/packers//298109


Steve at PackerGeeks makes an interesting parallel for the argument that Green bay is being cheap.

He said that Grant had offered to sign a heavily-incentivized deal — a contract that would reward him for future production more than past performance. The Packers balked. Their thinking, apparently, reflects doubts I’ve heard from other Packer fans that Grant’s productivity “only” came during half an NFL season.

That’s a bullshit excuse for being cheap. Over ten games, Ryan Grant was the NFL’s second most productive running to perennial league-leader, LaDanian Tomlinson. Grant started seven games, played significantly in ten. Over that period, he rushed for nearly 1000 yards and eight touchdowns. His per-carry average was 5.1 yards. If he had played for the entire season and produced at a level even close to that one, he would have been a Pro-Bowl running back. That would have been great, of course, but it’s not necessary when evaluating what kind of back Grant is and how much he should be compensated. Grant’s ten games is roughly equivalent to a full season of college football and teams routinely fork out tons of cash to college players who have performed will for only their senior year. Pittsburgh signed Rashard Mendenhall to a five-year $12.55 million deal. Overall the contract doesn’t break the bank but Mendenhall, whose only solid season was his junior year at Illinois (prompting him to go pro), got more than half of that, $7.125 as guaranteed money.

Link to article here: http://packergeeks.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/sign-ryan-grant/

[BarnettFan]

The Packers need to get some run support for Aaron Rodgers or we are going to be stuck in 1-5 hole with a qb who can't do the job while Favre is on another team probably having the time of his life...  Grant is by far the best back we've had since Ahman Green and there is no one else we can heavily trust to take the ball and get us those couple needed yards... we seem to be throwing backs away a lot in the past couple years.  What are we waiting for? They want a young team to start a new franchise, I understand that, but you need a leg to stand on first.

[Michalo]

Grant had one good year. He needs to shut up and report to camp. He might fall flat on his face this year, to me he hasn't proven anything yet.

[packercorey]

Grant had one good year. He needs to shut up and report to camp. He might fall flat on his face this year, to me he hasn't proven anything yet.

Dude- he's gotta play this where he is at this stage in his career.

As for one good year- it was exceptional-

After joining the Packers via a trade last year, Grant rushed for 956 yards and eight touchdowns and was the NFL's second leading-rusher over the last eight games.

[packercorey]

Packergeeks- great article about what Ryan Grants contract should look like.

Here is my crack at mediating here (keep in mind, I recommend this at the risk of revealing that this particular Packergeek is decidedly not well-schooled in the world of contracts):

    * $4million signing bonus - guaranteed
    * Base salary (5yrs) =  $1.5 million 2008, $2M 2009, $2.5M 2010, $3M 2011, $3.5M 2012 (Grant would only get this annual $500,000 raise if he rushes for 1000 yards the previous year)
    * Incentive of $500,000 additional per year for going over 2000 yards combined rushing/receiving
    * Incentive of $500,000 per season for going over 1500 yards rushing
    * Incentive of $500,000 additional per year for making the Pro Bowl
    * Incentive of $1 million additional per year for being a top 5 NFL rusher
    * Incentive of $100,000 additional per year for having fewer than 3 lost fumbles
    * Incentive of $100,000 additional per year for having more than 15 touchdowns
    * Incentive/bonus of $100,000 per year the Packers make the playoffs and he’s been the starter
    * If injured, he keeps signing bonus and prorated salary for that year

http://packergeeks.wordpress.com/2008/07/29/packergeeks-to-mediate-grant-talks/

[packercorey]

might be a new blog battle over this issue.

Tundra Vision has a new post called "Sign Grant: We Don't Need Any More Drama"

With the Packers swimming in salary cap room and few players up for extension at the end of the season, it seems kind of silly to not end this potential PR nightmare sooner than later. Grant may end up being a complete washout, perhaps even the next Samkon Gado.

But for now, he is viewed as our starting halfback, and when we've already got the furor with our former starting quarterback, this is a headache Ted Thompson and the Packers don't need right now. If the Packers seem willing to swallow $12 million to tell Favre to stay home for the season, why wouldn't they be willing to spend an extra million to tell Grant to come to camp?

http://tundravision.blogspot.com/2008/07/sign-grant-we-dont-need-any-more-drama.html

Here's what packeraaron has to say about this quote-

Seriously? What headache? Grant can sign with the Packers or get a job. He has no, and I mean NO, leverage here.

Grant and his agent, Alan Herman, don’t seem to have been paying attention to the Packers organization over the last three years. They don’t overpay. Ever. They set what they think a player is worth, and they stick to it. Is their initial offer what they think Grant is worth? Of course not. It’s called negotiating. You start low and work your way up. That is, if the agent doesn’t start yapping to every reporter who calls, and starts ripping the team in public. How unbelievably stupid is Herman? Grant and Herman need the Packers a hell of a lot more than the Packers need Grant.

Giving into press posturing by a desperate agent is just about the last thing you can expect out of Thompson and the Packers, which is why he has the job he has, and we all just blog about it.

Link to article here: http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/why-thompson-is-gmand-were-not


Bottom Line is still we need him in camp now. The later a Running Back gets to camp the worse off for the team.

Listening to sporstline and Havel is talking about Dorsey Levens breaking his ankle in after his holdout.

[Crazygurl0424]

Wait.... for whoever said you dont think he hasnt proven anything did you see him last season!? Were you asleep!? He did GREAT! I think he has EVERY right to ask for more money its not fair for him to do as good as he did and to get paid less and not get recognized for it....

And ya the Packers DO need to hurry up and sign him, because if they are planning on sticking with Rodgers and want to take some pressure off of him they are defently going to need a good rb to depend on. I honestly dont think Morency, Jackson, Wynn or Herron can do that comming out of an injury....

[packeraaron]

Grant will be in by next week. If not, Jackson, Morency and Wynn will get the job done. Was he great for 8 games last year? Yes. Was he break-the-bank special? No.

[Aa-Rod_is_cool]

Grant finally signed to 4 years and can get up to 30 mill!! I think thats a bit much but im glad that the packers finally resolved a situation.

[Crazygurl0424]

The only thing with Jackson, Morency & Wynn was that they were comming out of an injury and didnt really play last year, but eh it doesnt matter any more Grant is signed now he can atleast have one of the three helping him out! I agree too much, but atleast hes still with us....now if TT can quit being a....we can keep Favre too....

[Michalo]

I didn't say he didn't deserve a new contract but to hold out after one good year is like Rodgers holding out with no starts under his belt. And as far as I'm concerned he hasn't proven he's worth 40 mil, after just one season starting. Maybe he'll turn out better than Ahman but then again maybe he flops and then we say why the hell did we pay him so much.