Jay Glazer: Packers Sign Grant

[Mags FTW]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8406 ... -extension

One of the Green Bay Packers' most explosive offensive weapons has returned to the team.

No, it's not that one. FOXSports.com has learned that the team has agreed to a contract extension with absent running back Ryan Grant. Terms of the deal are not yet known.

Grant exploded onto the scene last year with 956 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 games.

Grant has yet to show up to training camp, and he was seeking a substantial raise to be the featured back in the Packers offense.

[MickeyDavis]

Cool. Hopefully it's not too much.

[ReasonablySober]

I'm watching the Training Camp Special right now and Thompson had nothing to offer on the Grant front except to say that talks were ongoing. I wonder when this was taped.

[Mags FTW]

Grant's deal is done, he'll report Sunday
By Tom Silverstein
Saturday, Aug 2 2008, 07:32 PM

Green Bay -- Running back Ryan Grant scored a major victory in his negotiations with the Green Bay Packers, agreeing to terms on a four-year contract loaded with incentives and escalators that could earn him $30 million, his agent Alan Herman told the Journal Sentinel.

"He's very happy," Herman said. "It's been a dream year for him."

The Packers started out offering only a $1.75 million signing bonus, but Herman was able to negotiate a deal that will pay Grant a $3 million roster bonus when he signs the contract and another $1.25 million through base salary ($750,000) and another roster bonus ($500,000).

Thus, Grant will earn $4.25 million this year. Over two years, his take will be $8 million.

Herman said that there are many layers of incentives and escalators that will compensate Grant handsomely if he produces the way he did last year when he rushed for 956 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games.

If Grant rushes for 1,500 yards this year, he will earn another $4 million 2009, Herman said. If he only rushes for 1,000 yards he would earn an additional $1 million.

Herman said the base salaries in the contract were set but the incentives and escalators will determine Grant's income each year. He said based on the way Grant plays the next four years, he could earn $30 million or $24 million or $18 million.

He said the four-year deal will allow Grant, 25, to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2011 season.

[TheGhostDog]

I am very happy and relieved to have Grant signed. Compared to 2007 RB salary levels...
Grant's $4.25 million total salary (base + bonuses) would place him just inside the top 15.
His base $750k would rank him in the top 50.
His $3 million signing bonus would put him in the top 20.

If Grant rushes for 1,500 yards next season his $8 million total compensation in 2009 will move him to around the top 5, compared to 2007 levels. Last season Grant finished 19th in rushing yards, despite only 7 starts and getting double-digit carries in 9 games.

2007 RB Salaries (ranked by Total Salary)

Player Team Base Salary Total Salary (Base + Bonus)
Bush, Reggie Saints $ 875,000 $ 13,375,960
Johnson, Larry Chiefs $ 750,000 $ 13,300,000
Jones, Thomas Jets $ 900,000 $ 9,000,000
McGahee, Willis Ravens $ 595,000 $ 8,095,840
Green, Ahman Texans $ 1,500,000 $ 8,005,280
Gore, Frank 49ers $ 435,000 $ 7,035,000
Henry, Travis Broncos $ 595,000 $ 6,695,000
James, Edgerrin Cardinals $ 5,250,000 $ 5,250,840
Tomlinson, LaDain Chrgrs $ 5,000,000 $ 5,001,200
Taylor, Fred Jaguars $ 800,000 $ 5,000,480
Maroney, Laurence Pats $ 360,000 $ 4,676,240
Peterson, Adrian Vikings $ 285,000 $ 4,540,000
Portis, Clinton Redskins $ 595,000 $ 4,500,000
Foster, DeShaun Panthers $ 750,000 $ 4,255,160
Lynch, Marshawn Bills $ 285,000 $ 4,026,150
Jordan, LaMont Raiders $ 1,000,000 $ 4,001,440
...
(#56)Jackson, Brandon Packers $ 285,000 $ 1,045,000
...
(#153)Grant, Ryan Packers $ 310,000 $ 310,000

http://content.usatoday.com/sports/foot ... alary+desc

[Comet]

Good to hear. And we even managed to load it up with incentives, rather than just overpaying for him right away.

[paulpressey25]

It is good to have him in camp, albeit a week late. These longer holdouts seem to end up really costing the player and team as the player (usually RB's) seem to then get injured or never get into a groove.

I'm excited this thing is so incentive laden.....that's what is great about the NFL by and large. If he produces he gets tons of dough.....otherwise about $8 million or even much less is guaranteed if I'm reading the story right.

[ReasonablySober]

It is good to have him in camp, albeit a week late. These longer holdouts seem to end up really costing the player and team as the player (usually RB's) seem to then get injured or never get into a groove.

I'm excited this thing is so incentive laden.....that's what is great about the NFL by and large. If he produces he gets tons of dough.....otherwise about $8 million or even much less is guaranteed if I'm reading the story right.

Sounds like a good deal. I'm glad it's not a six year contract. Even with the lack of a lot of tread on those tires, I don't like runningbacks as they get to 30. If Jackson turns out to be a solid player he'll only be 26 when Grants contract runs out.

[eagle13]

Hooray! Positive! Now lets settle this Brett crap and let's go kick some viking & bear asses.

[El Duderino]

It is good to have him in camp, albeit a week late. These longer holdouts seem to end up really costing the player and team as the player (usually RB's) seem to then get injured or never get into a groove.

I'm excited this thing is so incentive laden.....that's what is great about the NFL by and large. If he produces he gets tons of dough.....otherwise about $8 million or even much less is guaranteed if I'm reading the story right.

Sounds like a good deal. I'm glad it's not a six year contract. Even with the lack of a lot of tread on those tires, I don't like runningbacks as they get to 30. If Jackson turns out to be a solid player he'll only be 26 when Grants contract runs out.

Why wouldn't you rather it be a six year deal?

Contracts in the NFL aren't guaranteed. If after say four years Grant looked to be sliding, GB could just cut him. If though after four years Grant was very productive and still looked to have something left, he'd be under contract.

Unless signing Grant for 6 years would have cost the Packers a much larger bonus, him only signing for four years vs six benefits Grant much more than the Packers.

[mnstinks]

Why wouldn't you rather it be a six year deal?

Contracts in the NFL aren't guaranteed. If after say four years Grant looked to be sliding, GB could just cut him.

(If he was sliding)
...More money, he would be up there in age, and would count against the cap longer...

[El Duderino]

Why wouldn't you rather it be a six year deal?

Contracts in the NFL aren't guaranteed. If after say four years Grant looked to be sliding, GB could just cut him.

(If he was sliding)
...More money, he would be up there in age, and would count against the cap longer...

He wouldn't count against the cap longer if he was cut. Grant's biggest bonus was a roster bonus which isn't prorated over the life of the contract, it only counts against this year cap which we are about 25 million under.

[Ayt]

I agree with El Dude. Since the contract is based on roster bonuses, base salaries, and escalators, more years would have been a benefit to the Packers. As it stands now, he's a FA when he's 30. It would have been nice to have had the option, if he was still productive, to have him a few more years.

I really am not impressed by this contract from the Packers side. Grant is one of my favorite players on the team, but I really think they got taken to the cleaners in this deal. Hopefully it won't come back to bite them in the future with other guys wanting to redo deals when they feel they aren't properly compensated. A guy like Jennings could have easily complained about his deal after the year he had last year and the amount he is getting paid.

[LUKE23]

I don't have an issue with the deal. At max, it's 4/30, or 7.5M a year. If he reaches the full amount, he's playing like one of the top RB's in the league and earning that much. If not, he's making anywhere between 4.5M and 6M per year, which for a #1 RB is I'm guessing average or maybe slightly above that.

Grant will be 26 before this season ends, so the contract ends just as he turns 30 years old, which IMO is perfect from the Packers side.

[Balls2TheWalls]

Thompson is a very good judge of talent, and I think that 30 years old is about the point where Teddy feels like RBs lose a step and begin their downward slide. I like the deal. I think that making it incentive based protects the franchise. Good move.