Ryan Grant Needs to Step it up a Notch

Packers RB Ryan Grant did not have what one would call the greatest 2008 season. He did alright with 1,203 yards but only 4 TDs. He also carried the ball 312 times. Comparing that to his 2007 stats of 956 yards and 8 TDs, all on only 188 carries, makes one think. Does it not?

Bottom line, this guy needs to step it up this year. And his coaches agree:

“There’s no other way to put it,” Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said recently. “We try to not run the ball where they’ve got extra guys that are just sitting there, and there’s some excellent defensive coaches. But at some point in time, you’ve got to make some guys miss. You’ve got to run through some arm tackles. And I’m not saying we didn’t do that at all — we did, but we’ve got to do that more. We’ve got to do a better job at the second level.”

Grant did play through a busted hammy which certainly slowed him up a bit. Injury or no injury, he still managed only 6 20+ yard runs. According to a pretty wicked stat, Grant ranked 31st among all running backs in breaking tackles, at only 4.9 percent. That is only 16 broken tackles in 324 opportunities.

This is the first time Ryan has attended team OTA’s. Last year he sat out waiting for a new contract that he certainly did not earn. That coupled with the injury did not bode well for Grant, as he got off to a rough start. He had 2 games where he ran 15 times for 20 yards. Week 2 against Detroit, and week 4 against Tampa Bay. Towards the end of the ‘08 season he failed to reack 70 yards in 4 of the last 6 games. Not good Ryan, not good at all. Don’t cry there is hope, RB coach Edgar Bennett has faith that Grant will be able to turn it around.

“He is an explosive runner. He is the type of guy that has that burst and speed to take it the distance, to be a home-run threat. That’s a very big asset he has. We’re certainly looking forward to getting him back to that level.”

Wouldn’t you Packers Fans Love to see this guy again.

I’m gonna drink the kool-aid and say that Ryan Grant comes back big time in 2009. Call it a hunch, call it stupidity, call it what you want. But he’s looking at a 1,400 yard season with at least 10 TDs. I don’t have him in the Top 10 RB Rankings, but when the fianl rankings are unleashed he may just be there. In an offense with a Top 5 WR in Greg Jennings, and a Top 5 QB in Aaron Rodgers, Grant has to, has to, has to, have a good year in ‘09.

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