Packers Sign Ryan Grant

Lost in all that Brett Favre talk has been the standoff between the Green Bay Packers and running back Ryan Grant.

Grant, of course, was the guy who took over the starting duties in Green Bay's backfield last season and helped rejuvenate the running game. He started only seven games, but still managed to run for just short of 1,000 yards.

Then, when the Packers' offense went into snowplow mode in the NFC Divisional Playoffs, Grant ran for over 200 yards in a dominating win over Seattle.

No question Grant's a valuable guy. But he was a player without a contract all offseason.

Until today.

Jay Glazer reports Grant has agreed to terms with the Packers. He does not report any terms, but calls it a "contract extension". That's wrong, since Grant didn't have a contract to extend, but it also makes me assume it's more than just a one-year pact.

Grant had zero leverage in this so-called holdout. He was an exclusive-rights free agent, meaning no other team could even make the call to him. As things seemingly got a bit testy between the Packers and Grant's agent over the past week, backup Brandon Jackson showed his stuff in the first week of Packer camp.

That only put more pressure on Grant to get a deal done. While he was in Green Bay for most of the offseason and worked with the team during OTAs, he wasn't at training camp. Jackson, a second-round pick, was a real threat to steal Grant's job if he engaged in an angry, long holdout.

Now Grant can show up and keep that from happening. The Packers win both ways, as Grant is obviously a great fit for their system, and now Jackson can benefit from some extra reps in training camp. Head coach Mike McCarthy has a chance now to devise ways to use both backs and accentuate their strengths. The more help he can give Aaron Rodgers, the better.

UPDATE: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the deal is for four years and could be worth $30 million if Grant hits performance incentives.

(An arm bash to Mike Florio, even though I've never even spoken to the man.)