Grants wants some Green $$$

Ryan Grant wants a raise. He wants a long term deal with the Pack, and while he's no Samkon Gado, he's only started 9 games in his NFL career. I think he does deserve a raise, but I see no reason to give him a huge deal based on half a year. Ted Thompson will do what's right, lets only hope Grant is happy.

He's an exclusive rights free agent meaning he can't go anywhere but Green Bay, so there's no worry in that. But he has yet to sign a contract for this upcoming season while holding out for a more lucrative contract.

"His agent, Alan Herman, said Grant will take part in all the team's minicamps and workouts this spring," reports Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette," but that he will not sign the $370,000 minimum tender for an exclusive-rights player who has only one accrued season in the NFL. Grant is looking for a longer, far more lucrative deal after he rushed for 956 yards and averaged 5.1 yards a carry despite being the team's primary halfback for only the final nine games of the season."

It's a sign of good faith that Grant will take part in all the teams minicamps and workouts, but he better not hold out too long.

Technically Grant can withhold his services until the Packers agree to negotiate. And while he has a tiny bit of leverage because he had such a good year, he's only started nine games in his NFL career.

Working in the Packers' favor is that Grant won't reach restricted free agency until 2010 and unrestricted free agency until 2011. Grant had better play and play well if he wants to see those days.

The Packers will probably be more than willing to give Grant a nice pay raise, but don't expect them to break the bank. If the Packers go and draft a running back on the first day of the draft, the price for Grant goes down considerably. Ray Rice would look good in a Packers' uniform. And he would provide stiff competition for Grant.

In other Packer news, Green Bay signed two of their exclusive rights free agents, TE Troy Humphrey and FB John Kuhn. Both guys were unable to even talk with other teams, so their is no surprise the Pack signed them. Humphrey spent 2007 on IR after a foot injury in training camp, and John Kuhn was picked up early in the regular season and became a great asset to the Packers deep run in the playoffs.