Ryan Grant Re-Signs with the Green Bay Packers

For this Sharks and Packers fan, Saturday was a good day for signing key players named Ryan. According to JSOnline, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Web site, running back Ryan Grant has re-signed with the Green Bay Packers for four years and up to $30 million.

While in the days leading up to training camp, the Packers had contended that the two sides were close to a deal, recent reports had them far apart. The Packers started out offering only a $1.75 million signing bonus, while according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, Grant was seeking a deal in the range of Michael Turner's recent signing with the Atlanta Falcons, which is low-end feature back compensation.

If so, they were miles apart. However, with the distraction of the Brett Favre saga following an untested quarterback that already had the difficult task of following a legend, stability in the backfield was a must.

Eventually, the two sides agreed to a deal that was heavy on incentives, so Grant could make feature-back money. Meanwhile, the Packers were not committing that kind of money to a player that has essentially had an eight-game career.

The deal will reportedly pay Grant a $3 million roster bonus when he signs, allowing the money to count against this year's salary cap, since the Packers have $30 million of room. He will also make a base salary of $750,000 and another roster bonus of $500,000, pushing his total to $4.25 million this year.

The room under the cap is the reason most of the Packer faithful have been impatient with the delay on a deal. The Packers had the fourth-most room under the cap in March of 2007 as well, but signed few free agents to bolster the team.

This is one of the complaints Favre had, despite the team's success without a large payroll.

If Grant rushes for 1,000 yards in 2008, he will earn an additional $1 million in 2009. If he rushes for 1,500 yards, he will earn an additional $4 million instead.

In 2007, shortly after he had been informed he had made the Giants' roster, Grant was acquired for a sixth-round pick by the Packers. He was behind Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn on the depth chart before rushing for 104 yards against Denver in October.

After becoming the starter, he rushed for 100 yards five more times, including his 201-yard playoff performance against the Seattle Seahawks. Only San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson had more rushing yards (947) over the season's final 10 weeks, setting up the challenge of re-signing the restricted free agent.