We knew the Packers owed $5.25 million to Ryan Grant next year, which is a lot of money for any running back coming off an injury-marred season.
Conventional wisdom says the Packers will bring him back. We’ll know for sure on the 15th day of the next league year, whenever that turns out to be. Adam Caplan of FOXSports.com reports Grant is due a $1 million bonus on that day, which likely provides a point of no return for the Packers.
Grant’s value to the Packers was seen in his absence last year. He’s only 28 years old, and you could make the argument that he will be fresh after nearly a season off recovering from an ankle injury. Packers coach Mike McCarthy said at the Combine that he expected Grant to compete with James Starks for carries next season, which sounds about right.
The Packers have arguably overpaid a bit for A.J. Hawk because they feel comfortable with him. The same should hold true for Grant.