The battle I am most interested about this training camp is between the running backs.

We all know about the Grant deal and his stats last season were not bad at all, but when we think of the kind of running back we want in Green Bay, does he really cut it?

The contract last season seemed to give us that answer as to how the team felt. After all, the people who make the decisions do so because they believe they are the right thing to do. The contract showed faith in our number one tailback in the depth chart.

I wonder how much injuries and readiness of the other backs really propelled the continuing opportunity for Grant to be the leading carrier. I can understand his performance in 2007 gave him leverage for his holdout, but the timing of his contract felt like a pure sign of good faith.

The other running backs weren't ready last season, but they appear to be now. What if one of them straight up out-performs Grant during training camp. Is there any possibility for a decision to be made to move up another running back? My real question is does Grant's contract MAKE him the number 1 running back, or does it still require his performance to dictate that?

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From my understanding of his contract, it does not MAKE him the number one running back. He has to earn a nice portion of his money in his contract.

If Grant gets shown up, the Packers are better off for it. Unless Grant takes a slide of course.

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I think no matter how he or anyone else performs, he will be the #1 back going into the regular season. However if another back is still performing at a high level and Grant is still struggling, I can see Grant getting overtaken during the season.

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What if Grant returned to 2007 form? That's the "what if" I'm more concerned with. But, hey, let the best man win. If he isn't cutting it then give it to someone else.

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Quite frankly, I don't care.

The Packers have to get with the program here. You can't have just one good RB for your running game to be successful anymore.

The Packers have two decent backs in Grant and Jackson. The same was said years ago when they had a great back in Green, and a good second punch in Davenport. It's time to share carries.

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Particularly when Jackson's yards per carry seem to indicate that he SHOULD carry more of the load.

Grant had too many carries considering his general ineffectiveness last season -- although I will shoulder a decent amount of the blame on the offensive line. The run game will live or die that that offensive line.

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IIRC, one of the goals this off-season is to determine a definite No. 2 back and to come up with a rotation that'll allow for both a different look when that No. 2 back is on the field (thus another facet that an opposing D would have to deal with) and some rest for Grant to hopefully help keep him healthy and fresh later in the season.

If you ask me, that second guy has been, is and should be Jackson. He's got the best hands of the group (at least from what I've seen thus far), and he runs like he's possessed. I love his attitude. With Wynn and Lumpy, while I like them both I don't see how they're presenting anything different than Grant.

If Grant can regain his 2007 form, he should be the starter - he was great for us that season, and being able to run is going to make things easier for both Rodgers and the OLine. I know that we've got a primarily passing offense, but the ability to run is still damn valuable, IMO.

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I here by put my left lower appendage into harms way by throwing it out there on this prediction.. Ryan Grant asserts himself as the 2nd best RB, production wise in the NFLN..

Call me crazy.. but all this talk about him being a flop, even though he ran for over a grand last year will be put into the rear view mirror after the kid steps up and has a pro bowl quality year..


Grant ran hard last year.. he just didn't find the daylight he needed to get into the second layer of the defense.. somehow I think that changes this season..

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Behind Sitton, College and Spitz. For as good as Clifton has been at pass blocking, he sure is uninspiring in the run game.

As much as I piss and moan about Sherman, he sure had one thing down: offensive line. Those 5 years where Ahman put up the big numbers, that O-line clicked but it was susceptible to getting punched in the mouth by a more physical team.

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Ryan Grant will be fine IMO. I remember two or three times he had runs for like about 60-70 and one of them being a 90 yard run called back due to the o-line holding.

I'm not worried at all.

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