Ryan Grant Gone??

quote:

Originally posted by turnip blood:
Picking up blitzs is not a dime a dozen skills, it is a skill RB develop in the NFL. A team just can not draft a blitz pick up RB, the RB has to be coached up to be good at it.

Picking up blitzes is an attitude. Primadonnas don't do it because they think it's "beneath" them (see: Adrian Peterson). Jospeh Addai is 5-foot-nothing and picks up blitzes well because he wants to and worked at it even in college. Look at the difference between Ronnie Brown and Caddy Williams coming out from the same team the same year.

Running back Ryan Grant visited the New England Patriots on April 20 and is thought to have received an offer from them, is now considering an offer from the Packers’ NFC North division rival Detroit Lions, agent Alan Herman said Thursday according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.

Grant believed there was mutual interest between him and the Packers, and coach Mike McCarthy has indicated that the team would like Grant back.

Grant, speaking on Green & Gold Today on March 12, said he thought there was a good chance he’d be back with the team after bouncing back from a season-erasing broken leg in the 2010 opener to play in 16 games (including playoffs) last year.

“It’s definitely an option, and there’s definitely a good chance. Green Bay said that they want me back, and it’s just a matter of whether or not we can come to terms on something,” Grant said. “I would love to come back. I think everyone knows that that’s my ideal situation.

http://www.theredzone.org/Blog...m-Lions/Default.aspx

NOT DETROIT!!! or any NFC North team.... No Ryan, no...

He only has 4 full seasons on his legs, so you could expect about 2 more years of solid production from him..

Still, I would prefer that moola goes elsewhere..

He will soon be trading in his helmet G for a Lion,at least some of us can watch him on Sundays if he plays some downs.

I'm not complaining about the draft in any way, in fact not complaining at all, but I don't trust Starks or Saine, and I don't know what an Alex Green is.

If Detroit signs Grant, it'll be Edgar Bennett all over again.

It is a little disappointing that they didn't pick up someone with some speed. I am not very excited about these guys... maybe a FA or two is still in the plans.

Should we lose Grant are any of these other guys worth a look or are they all washed up?

Free agent running backs

You know, since everyone is so hung up on assignment assureness, maybe LT is interested? Can't hurt to have that kind of veteran presence aruond a stable of very young RBs. Price contingent, of course...

quote:

Originally posted by Packy:
Should we lose Grant are any of these other guys worth a look or are they all washed up?

Free agent running backs

After reading this article, it appears that Grant is in the driver's seat regarding negotiations. He is far and away the best prospect of those listed. Even though he's not a huge receiving threat, his blitz pickup makes him an effective part of the passing game. Save for his injury year, he's been a very productive runner. He has fewer miles on his 29 nine year old legs because his career didn't start until he arrived in Green Bay. And he's avoided the knee problems that typically speed a runner's decline.

I'd like to have him back but the bigger financial picture may preclude offering him what he'll get elsewhere.

2 things I have learned:

The Green Bay Packers front office always wants to build the roster from the bottom up by adding ascending players

The Green Bay Packers fans often want to build the roster from the top down by signing descending players

One of those methods is a proven winner

the money hes looking for wouldnt be worth the little production hed bring.

hopefully one of the current backs will step up. Green & STarks should could be a good combo.


I was hoping theyd address this position in FA or draft. But our pass-first scheme
mixed with someone stepping their game up should give us a minimal running threat.
I just get frustrated at the series where its short ydg and we can pick it up.

We did bring Ahman Green back for a year to share the carries in '09 so if there's some tread left on the tires of any of these guys and they can be signed at a reasonable price I think TT would consider it. Or, if they think there is a need they could sign a back after cuts.

quote:

Originally posted by WolfPack: Green & STarks should could be a good combo.

Don't sleep on Saine...

Saine could turn into a good 3rd down back but I doubt too much more. I watched him play a lot of games at Ohio State. He's not a bad player but I don't see him carrying the ball a lot. But, the three backs combined with each playing his role may be enough.

Starks and Green will be just fine. No question.

quote:

Originally posted by Satori:
2 things I have learned:

The Green Bay Packers front office always wants to build the roster from the bottom up by adding ascending players

The Green Bay Packers fans often want to build the roster from the top down by signing descending players

One of those methods is a proven winner

Exactly right. I've never seen it written as succinctly and accurate as this.

quote:

2 things I have learned:

The Green Bay Packers front office always wants to build the roster from the bottom up by adding ascending players

The Green Bay Packers fans often want to build the roster from the top down by signing descending players

It always matters what is the cost, what do they have on the roster, and the fit. The Packers certainly didn't have a problem bringing Jeff Saturday on board knowing full well he's basically on his last year or two.

I am not screaming for LT's signing, but they sure are young and inexperienced at RB. I think they'll address the position, but with what is tough to say. Maybe they won't at all.

Ever consider the Packers have already "addressed" the position and feel their group of Starks, Green, Saine and the RFA's are exactly what they desire?

That's not a knock on LT, Grant or any other back out there. I'm just sayin'...

Perhaps it is a calculated decision on their part. It would go along with their m.o., so it's reasonable to assume.

But past calculated gambles have blown up in their face, too, like not signing Jenkins and leaving the keys to Neal and Co. Not that you need to overcompensate by signing LT to a 5 year deal with a big bonus, but if the price is right and McCarthy thought he could be of use, I could see Thompson making a deal like that.

And LT is searching for that elusive ring, so maybe it could be a match.

LT was pretty well known to be a locker room lawyer/pain in the ass in SD. Of course, he was the star here until Rivers came along so he was probably more entitled than he would be in GB or anywhere else. Given his age, his position and any potential to create problems in the locker room would lead me to guess that LT isn't in their plans.

Cedric Benson has had some good years and not that long ago but not sure about what baggage he brings. He's had some past issues. Doubt TT and MM would want to deal with him.

quote:

Originally posted by Fond Du Arrigo:

Exactly right.

Thanks and the funny thing is that even though I know that, I still look at various veterans around the league and wonder if they can japf / help...but the GB track record suggests otherwise.

They do have the advantage of seeing Saine/Green in practice/meatings so they know way more than us fans if these guys are ready.

When Green was drafted, the plan was to see him for a full season before they had to make the Ryan Grant decision, unfortunately they only got a small preview before Green got dinged

They wanted to see a year of Sherrod development before they made the Clifton decision, a year out of Neal before the Jenkins decision, a year of Lang before the Colledge decision, Cobb-Driver decision etc.

TT is always trying to be ahead of the game and given the crapshoot nature of player procurement/development, its a pretty good strategy

IMO LT no longer has the intestinal fortitude to be a Green Bay Packer, but there may be other RBs that pique their interest. Or not

Go Packers

Hard to be too comfortable when the top two backs are a guy that can't stay on the field and one coming off a serious injury. TT will look toward the scrap heap for a player he can develop before he goes with a washed-up veteran with not much left.

I hear you can win Super Bowls with that guy.

As far as the whole philosophy of building up with ascending players, there is a balance. I am reminded of Ron Wolf who said one of his biggest mistakes was allowing the Packers to lose half their starting secondary. Doug Evans was gone and he said his mistake was letting Eugene Robinson go.

So, I sure agree that the right philosophy is emphasis on ascending players from the bottom, but this doesn't mean lopping off descending players is always in the best interests of the team.

quote:

doesn't mean lopping off descending players is always in the best interests of the team.

Depends on how far they've descended

Nothing new on the Ryan Grant front: from Kevin Seifert

"We noted last week that free agent running back Ryan Grant had an offer on the table from the Detroit Lions, and subsequent reports suggested Grant would visit the Lions as early as Monday. So I wanted to pass along that ESPN's John Clayton confirmed that Grant did not visit Monday and has no visits scheduled."

Ryan Grant and his agent got the better of TT during TOG-gate, but they aren't going to win this time around. Grant's agent says teams are interested, Grants' agent says more than one, Grant's agent says the Lions made an offer, Grants' agent says a visit is next...

Meanwhile back at the ranch, the steely eyed assassin just waits it all out, content to call their bluff

Grant clearly wants to be a Packer, but he will have to do it at the Packers price this time around or not at all.

Go Packers

Jason Wilde on sulia
Ryan Grant never made it to Detroit, and he might never end up visiting the Lions after all. After agent Alan Herman said last week that Grant had an offer on the table from the Lions, Herman said Tuesday that there were "economic issues" with the Lions that led to Grant not going to Detroit. NFL.com suggested the Lions have salary-cap problems. Said Grant, "I only concern myself with the stuff I have control of. And right now, that’s training.”
33 minutes ago

more

@JasonLaCanfora
Lions worked out several RBs, Ryan Grant and Steve Slaton among them, but are not signing any at this point

That brings up a question for me when it comes to comp picks. If a team signs as many players as it losses it will not be reward any picks.
Does that mean players signed or players signed and then makes a regular season squad? As it stands now the Packers lost 3 players and sign 3. But of the players the Packers signed 2 were cut without making the regular season squad. But 3 packers made other team’s squads. Are the Packers even when it comes to players lost and gained or are they 2 down?

@BradBiggs
Ryan Grant works out for #Bears and then signs with #Redskins according to @JasonLaCanfora

Hmmm. RB is one of the few positions where the Redskins have some decent talent. Rookie Alfred Morris is a diamond in the rough and back-ups Roy Helu and Evan Royster have shown potential. Sitting here its hard to see Ryan getting much playing time.

This team badly needs veteran leadership, though. London Fletcher does it on the defensive side but on offense you've got rookie Bob Griffin and then a bunch of prima donna receivers and one of the sorriest collections of OL tallant in the league. Grant could provide huge dividends in this regard if he can cut through the insufferable arrogance of the Shanahan's.