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Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 3:58 pm
by tribeofjudah
Ryan Grant chose Skins over Bears:

Grant took a U-turn to the Redskins

By Tarik El-Bashir
CSNwashington.com

The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind for Ryan Grant.

On Tuesday, the former free agent was in Chicago, en route to get a physical exam after working out for the Bears. Before he got to the doctor’s office, though, the Redskins called and he quickly agreed in principle to a deal.

“I told the driver to turn around and take me to the airport,” Grant said.

The 29-year-old former Green Bay standout landed at Dulles Airport at 12:30 a.m. and, 12 hours later, was on the Redskins’ practice field in Ashburn taking handoffs from Robert Griffin III.

Grant said he chose the Redskins over the Bears and other suitors because of Griffin, Coach Mike Shanahan and his familiarity with Shanahan’s zone blocking scheme. Grant said the Packers used a similar offense during his first couple of seasons in the NFL and described himself as a “one-cut and up the field” style runner.

Grant also acknowledged that he and his representative have had multiple discussions with the Redskins since the spring.

“I like what they do offensively and I think this team has a lot of promise,” he said.

Last season, Grant started 14 of 15 games for Green Bay and rushed for 559 yards and two touchdowns. But the Nyack, N.Y. native was not brought back for a sixth season with the Packers. He missed all but one game in 2010 with ankle and knee injuries.

“It was weird, hurt because I was used to play ball at this time,” Grant said. “But I was making sure I stayed in shape. I had opportunities, but I was looking for the right situation and it worked out.”

Grant said he was surprised it took him so long to find a new home. But he said he stayed in shape by working out at IMG’s sports academy in Bradenton, Fla.

“I don’t expect it will take me too long” to get into football condition, he said. “I feel like I’m in good shape I’m just going to prepare like I’m going to play this week.”

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 5:08 pm
by Irn-Bru
I've got nothing against Grant but I don't expect him to come in and do much for us, either. Too many memories of Shaun Alexander, T.J. Duckett, Larry Johnson, and Tashard Choice.

Again, no offense to him, but it's hard for me to imagine him having a more significant impact than any of those other players.

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 5:16 pm
by SkinsJock
^^ I can understnd that FFA but I'm looking for him to be a bit motivated to do well here

AND

how great is it to hear players saying they want an opportunity to be a part of what's going down here :D

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:49 pm
by skinsfan#33
Irn-Bru wrote:Special teamers like a long snapper only need to make one mistake for their presence to be felt very painfully.

Suppose we had placed Sunderberg on regular IR but then never used the spot on another player like Helu. And then sometime late in the season we had one or two bad snaps on FG attempts or on a punt. No doubt people would be talking about how idiotic the team was for putting Sunderberg on IR when he could have returned, and meanwhile we never used the spot, etc.

My point is that this complaint is nearly 100% the benefit of hindsight talking. Maybe you are someone who thinks those insights are useful, but I can't take them too seriously.

Believe me I understand the value of a long snapper. I clearly remember Dan Turk costing the 99 Skins a chance to go to the NFC Championship game!

With that said I didn't think it was a good idea to use the IR spot on him. Not in hind sight, but when they did it. The reason I felt that way is because there was a very good quality veteran deep snapper available.

I'm saying now, not in hind sight, that I think having Helu available on eight weeks would have benefitted the team more than having Nick Sundberg back in seven weeks

I guess you could call that hind sight since Sundberg already went to IR, but I don't since Helu just went to IR.

No I'm not killing Shanny for using that one spot on a long snapper, but I wouldn't have done it. Maybe fans would have been killing me for not using the spot if no other player got hurt, but really what are the odds of that?

Shanny made his choice, you are fine with it and I'm fine with him making the decision he made to, I just think it was the wrong one.

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:56 pm
by HEROHAMO
1niksder wrote:
HEROHAMO wrote:
tribeofjudah wrote:
HEROHAMO wrote:Well I think its a decent signing. How about grabbing some help for the secondary?


we DID SIGN a CB....Redskins ‏@Redskins

#Redskins announce the signing of FA CB David Jones, who spent training camp with the team, and waive injured CB Crezdon Butler.
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OK Thats good. Lets see if he can play.


Brandon Meriweather should be back this week too


Oh yeah its a lil sigh of relief but I still need more oxygen. I do hope Merriweather can flourish here. He has always had the talent.

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 5:28 am
by 1niksder
The Hogster wrote:Helu Jr to IR. I bet Tim Hightower is pissed!!


Nope... just unavailable

Before contacting Ryan Grant this week, the Redskins reached out to former starting tailback Tim Hightower about replacing the injured Roy Helu Jr.

Hightower, however, still has not recovered fully from the ACL surgery he had last November. In fact, Shanahan said Hightower recently suffered another setback in his recovery.

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 10:36 am
by butterd97
I personally don't think that we use Helu Jr the way we need to and signing Ryan Grant isn't gonna help much other than pass protection. Our secondary is trash right now and that is where we need help.

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 11:38 am
by cowboykillerzRGiii
1niksder wrote:
The Hogster wrote:Helu Jr to IR. I bet Tim Hightower is pissed!!


Nope... just unavailable

Before contacting Ryan Grant this week, the Redskins reached out to former starting tailback Tim Hightower about replacing the injured Roy Helu Jr.

Hightower, however, still has not recovered fully from the ACL surgery he had last November. In fact, Shanahan said Hightower recently suffered another setback in his recovery.


Per Twitter Hightower underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee. Which doesn't mean much except that they went in looked around maybe cut out some scar tissue but nothing like ACL reconstruction... BB had the same "procedure" his rookie year and didn't.miss a game. However the extent of what they did in there is the difference in downtime. I predict Hightower coming back especially if we have another injury and/or Grant doesn't.impress w blocking and catching out of the back field.

Still waiting for the day Royster gets 100% and reiterates my belief in his talents!

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:08 pm
by Deadskins
butterd97 wrote:I personally don't think that we use Helu Jr the way we need to

And we're not going to. He's on IR.

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:33 pm
by cowboykillerzRGiii
Deadskins wrote:
butterd97 wrote:I personally don't think that we use Helu Jr the way we need to

And we're not going to. He's on IR.


We never got a chance this season, he had multiple injuries since otas...