Grant talks heat up
By Pete Dougherty - May 28, 2008
Ryan Grant's contract talks hit a substantive stage late last week and left Grant's agent optimistic he and the Green Bay Packers can grind out a deal in the coming weeks.
Grant, the Packers' starting halfback, is in an unusual position in seeking a long-term deal, because though he's been out of college for three years, he's played only one season in the NFL and can't become an unrestricted free agent until 2011, when he'll be 28. But after almost single-handedly supplying the Packers with a respectable rushing game the second half of last season, Grant is looking for some financial security while in his prime.
His agent, Alan Herman, has said Grant won't sign the $370,000 minimum tender for a second-year pro. However, after a 1½-hour conversation with Packers negotiator Russ Ball late last week, Herman said the team is open to a long-term deal, though it will require major compromises by both sides.
"The important issue is the club has indicated they're not big players in the free-agent market and they like to take care of their own," Herman said. "Ryan had truly an extraordinary year and it wasn't like he was a flash in the pan. He played 12 games, that's a lot of games, at the highest level. Clearly, they know what they have and that's why the opportunity to get something done and keep him there for a long time is kind of apparent."