MDS passed along the surprising news earlier Wednesday that Packers running back Ryan Grant is not a lock to make the team. That news probably didn’t come as a huge shock to Grant.
Adam Caplan reports that Grant took a $1 million pay cut earlier this month. His base salary dropped from $3.5 million to $2.5 million. (His bonus money remains at the same total, although it’s unclear if the structure has changed.)
The question then becomes: Does taking a pay cut make Grant’s job safe?
It has to help, but we doubt it guarantees anything. When a veteran takes a pay cut early in camp, it’s usually a sign that the team is ready to move on, if necessary. If Grant wasn’t willing to take the reduction, he would likely be an ex-Packer already.
Ultimately, this isn’t about money. It’s about who G.M. Ted Thompson believes gives them the best chance to win a Super Bowl this year and into the future: Grant or Dimitri Nance. (Or perhaps they could keep both.)
We have no idea how Grant has looked in camp coming off surgery, but he probably hasn’t blown the team away considering the two stories that surfaced Wednesday.
UPDATE: Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports Grant’s base salary is guaranteed. That should just about guarantee his roster spot.