I was surprised when I read this this morning:
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/PKR01/805080626/1058
I actually had to look up what an exclusive right tender was and found the following:
"Under the CBA, the team holds the exclusive rights to such players, and may continue to offer them one-year deals for the minimum salary based on their years of service, until they have completed three years in the league. At that point, the players become eligible for restricted free agency."
This is surprising to me that the Packers are not signing him to a contract, instead only offering him the minimum salary based on years of service. He pretty much resurrected your running game last year. While continuing to offer him a one year exclusive rights contract now is safer for the team, I would think that they are risking alienating him if he does continue to play at the level he finished the season with.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/PKR01/805080626/1058
With the signing of rookie cornerbacks Condrew Allen of Portland State and Kyle Ward of Louisiana-Lafayette and offensive tackle Ryan Considine of Louisiana Tech, the Packers have 89 players on their offseason roster. That's nine more than the training camp maximum.
However, unsigned players don't count. Those include the nine draft picks plus running back Ryan Grant, who hasn't signed his exclusive-rights tender because he's hoping for a long-term contract.
I actually had to look up what an exclusive right tender was and found the following:
"Under the CBA, the team holds the exclusive rights to such players, and may continue to offer them one-year deals for the minimum salary based on their years of service, until they have completed three years in the league. At that point, the players become eligible for restricted free agency."
This is surprising to me that the Packers are not signing him to a contract, instead only offering him the minimum salary based on years of service. He pretty much resurrected your running game last year. While continuing to offer him a one year exclusive rights contract now is safer for the team, I would think that they are risking alienating him if he does continue to play at the level he finished the season with.