Ryan Grant – Squinting to See the Silver Lining
Ozzie Newsome heard the cries of the fan base when Jarvis Landry was traded to the Browns, Allen Robinson agreed terms with the Bears, and Sammy Watkins signed with the Chiefs. He knew the Ravens needed to remake the WR corps, that Joe Flacco needed a number one target, that Steve Bisciotti committed to making a splash, and he signed…John Brown and Ryan Grant.
The latter signing was met with almost universal derision by the NFL community. It was routinely regarded as the most head scratching signing of the day. I watched the Dolphins sign Albert Wilson for 3 years and $24 million and said to myself, “Players always get overpaid on the first day. At least the Ravens are lacking the cap space to do anything like that.”
Let me be clear – I like Ryan Grant as a player.
He came into the league as a subpar athlete with tweener size and still carved out a role in Washington, outplaying the more highly regarded Terrelle Pryor (a WR I was banging the table for this offseason). He has great hands, which is something the Ravens desperately need. But his ceiling is limited, especially compared to someone else the Ravens were linked with, Donte Moncrief, who got a very similar deal.
John Brown’s role should be very clear – a reliable deep threat, health pending. Ryan Grant’s role on the other hand, is a little murkier. But when viewed as part of what I hope is a long term plan, I can see what Ozzie is doing. Here’s that long term plan.
First, a few assumptions regarding Grant’s contract. All I’ve seen reported is 4 years, $29 million, $14.5 million guaranteed with a $10 million signing bonus. So, I’m going to assume salaries of $1 million, $3.5 million, $6.5 million, and $8 million. The first two years are the key, because I think this is really a two-year contract. If this is the case, all guaranteed money will be paid out in the first two years, and in 2020 the Ravens would be able to get out of the contract, saving $4 million on the cap with $5 million in dead money remaining. At which point Eric DeCosta could sign another WR to a similar contract with a first year cap figure at or below the $4 million they would save by cutting Grant.
If the Ravens view Grant as part of a bigger picture, he can be a 2 year bridge player. My hope is that the Ravens will take the best player available in Round 1 (unlikely to be a WR, quite possibly an OT with Howard gone), then they will take a WR (Courtland Sutton/James Washington/DJ Moore/Christian Kirk) in Round 2, and another in Round 4 (Dante Pettis/Auden Tate/Simmie Cobbs/insert your favorite Day 2 WR who slipped).
Realistically, it would be too much to expect a Day 3 WR to contribute immediately. Grant would be a reliable option to play a lot of snaps while the rookies can sit back and learn. It would be no surprise to see the Ravens open the season with a 3 WR set including John Brown, Ryan Grant, and Chris Moore.
I have no issue with Ryan Grant the player, or how he might fit into the scheme on the field. My biggest issue is why Ozzie felt the need to sign him on Tuesday, when the team would have had the opportunity to sign someone similar in ability at a discount by the weekend. Michael Crabtree is rumored to be cut, Jordy Nelson is already available, and one or two more will definitely get cut in the next few days. Ozzie has always been incredibly patient when it comes to free agency – I just wish he had been a little more patient in this particular case.
Note: Please excuse the obnoxious and profane music that accompanies the video.
