Grant usurped by Nance? Not even a chance

I'm not going to lie. Tom Silverstein's article asserting that Ryan Grant could be cut in favor of Dimitri Nance makes no sense whatsoever. It seems like a reach of epic proportions, something that he just fabricated out of nowhere on a slow news day. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writer goes to great lengths to make it seem like Grant's status is tenuous, and likewise blows Nance's preseason accomplishments way out of proportion. He creates a competition where one does not exist. Not very good journalism in my opinion.

These are the facts. Grant is the teams' only proven rusher capable of lasting a full 16 games. Aside from his last season, which was lost due to an ankle injury, he has been a steady and dependable presence in the backfield. He's not exceedingly flashy, but he wears down a defense and he hangs on to the ball, too. He has proven production, with 1,200-plus yards in both of the seasons he's played as the team's starter. Furthermore, though 28, he's really only had two and half seasons as a featured ball-carrier, and shows no signs of breaking down just yet. All reports from camp indicate that he is running strong, and that there are no lingering effects from last year's injury.

James Starks is exciting, yes, but let's not forget that he had injury concerns throughout his collegiate career at Buffalo and even into the first half of his rookie year in Green Bay. Alex Green also has potential, but is still very raw. And Nance-- well he already had a chance to show what he could do last year and didn't show much.

The only way Grant isn't on the roster come opening day is if the team decides James Starks is so good and reliable that Grant becomes expendable. And we've seen nothing to indicate that so far, as Grant has gotten the bulk of carries with the first unit. There really is no sort of "battle for the last spot" between Grant and Nance, and to suggest so is ignorance at best and sensationalism at worst.


With so many more interesting and plausible things to speculate on, this article is simply a waste of webpages.