I thought the “the man who used to play quarterback in Green Bay” saga was the most unbelievable thing I’ve seen in my life but this Ryan Grant debacle trumps it on all sides. This is the first “exclusive rights” contract holdout in NFL history. Apparently Grant thinks he is Walter Payton or something. Listen to some of these quotes from a man who obviously has no clue to what he is doing.
“I couldn’t be more disappointed,” Grant’s agent Alan Herman said Sunday night. “I always said that I was cautiously optimistic, based on the rhetoric that Green Bay takes care of their own, and this is what we get after the clock is striking 12. After 5½ months of trying to get a deal done, we get a grand total of $1.7 million (signing bonus) and a $2 million contract for this year, which is the biggest joke.”
OK, lets look at this. Number one, Grant has no bargaining power, the most the Packers would have to pay him is like $375,000 a year. I think two million a year is a pretty good upgrade for a guy who hasn’t proven anything. Samkon Gado did the same thing Grant did and I don’t see him making millions. In fact, I don’t see him in the NFL anymore. What makes anyone think Grant is any different?
Here is another one:
“Every time I called for 5½ months, there was another reason why they weren’t ready to begin,” Herman said. “(Serious talks) started a week ago Friday, and they finally make me a proposal with less than 24 hours before training camp and it has a total of $1.7 million guaranteed, I said, ‘Russ, are you kidding me?’ I’m going to make a six-year commitment, and you’re giving me $1.7 million. You gave $3 million to Poppinga, who you indicated is going to be a backup player.”
So, I guess a two-year starter in Brady Poppinga should get paid less than a eight game starter in Ryan Grant. I don’t think so Alan.
It gets better. Check this out:
“I have really nothing to say to the Packers at this point because I’m so astounded,” Herman said. “I can tell you that I will not be calling Russ Ball. When he’s got something that resembles making sense, I’ll be happy to talk to him.
“All I can do is go back to my original proposal. As a matter of fact, I should probably up my proposal based on what Devin Hester just got (from the Chicago Bears).”
OK, Alan, you think Grant is better than Hester? Wow. I’ll take an even trade any day of the week. The bottom line is Ryan Grant has no options and is getting bad advice. The Packers have already replaced Grant with Brandon Jackson, who by all accounts has had a tremendous offseason and even running backs’ coach Edgar Bennett said Jackson has the ability to be an every down player.
Just when you thought things could not get any more bizarre in Green Bay, under the radar, they have. Simply unbelievable. I can guarantee you the Packers will not have a problem replacing Ryan Grant. Jackson is the future at running back in my mind and the sooner it happens the better.
Grant may have already lost his job, and that’s fine with me. Maybe he can catch passes from “the man who used to play quarterback in Green Bay” in Mississippi to keep in shape. Good luck with that.