Ryan Grant on way to Bears physical, gets call from 'Skins & signs.

We must have been serious about signing him. I wonder who they don't like on our RB roster?

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LINK to the article

Ryan Grant had finished a workout and was close to signing a deal with the Chicago Bears when the Washington Redskins called with an offer he liked better.

"I was on my way to do a physical in Chicago," Grant said. "Agreed to Washington. Told the driver to turn around and take me to the airport."


Grant said he arrived late Tuesday and signed with the Redskins on Wednesday morning, joining a banged-up backfield that didn't have a healthy alternative to rookie starter Alfred Morris.


Grant spent five seasons with the Green Bay Packers but has been looking for work after the team opted not to re-sign him after last season. He rushed for 1,203 yards in 2008 and 1,253 yards in 2009 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the 2010 regular-season opener. He returned last year and ran for 559 yards, sharing the load with James Starks.


To make room for Grant, the Redskins placed running back Roy Helu Jr. on injured reserve.


Helu has been dealing with turf toe in his left foot since the season opener as well as two sore Achilles. He had only two carries for 2 yards and seven catches for 45 yards this season. He said the injuries kept him practicing at full-speed.


"I don't like not playing football," said the second-year back, wearing a protective boot on his left foot in the locker room. "I'm still processing sitting out a season."


The Redskins' only other running back, Evan Royster, strained the patella tendon in his right knee in Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. His status is uncertain for this week's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Means Forte is out another week at least, and it was rumored Bush got his bell rung last week and/or wasn't capable of handling the full load last week(which was why so much of Bell last week). Also it's a knock on Bell/Allen that b/c neither were very effective. Bell had 2 plays worth mentioning and I don't know that Allen even got a look.

Thanks Ric. I just found this B.Biggs article from yesterday's news.
Maybe if I'd been whining less about the replacement refs, I would have seen it yesterday :smile:

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LINK to the article

With the availability of 60 percent of the Chicago Bears backfield for Monday’s game at Dallas uncertain, the team had two running backs in for workouts at Halas Hall on Tuesday.

Running backs Ryan Grant and Jacob Hester were present along with guard Rishaw Johnson and wide receiver Raymond Radway, according to a source.

The Bears worked out running backs Steve Slaton and DuJuan Harris last Tuesday so that means they have looked at four backs in eight days.
Grant has been on the workout circuit recently and the former Green Bay Packers running back is expected to sign with a team in the next few hours.

But it will not be with the Bears, according to another source, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported he would sign with the Washington Redskins. The Detroit Lions hosted Grant for a workout last week. Grant, 29, rushed for 559 yards and two touchdowns for the Packers last season.

Bears running back Matt Forte missed Sunday’s 23-6 victory over the Rams with a sprained right ankle. Coach Lovie Smith said the team is “hopeful” Forte will return to practice this week and be available for Monday’s game at Dallas. But La Canfora reported Forte is likely to miss one more week.

Backup running back Michael Bush started in place of Forte but Kahlil Bell, who was signed last week, was getting the work in the fourth quarter against the Rams. Smith was elusive when asked if Bush had been injured.

“We have a lot of guys that got a little banged up as I said from the physical play of the game,” Smith said. “We were playing Kahlil before that. Mike took some good shots. He came out one play on a hard hit but it was that type of game.”

Fullback Evan Rodriguez was knocked out of the game with a left knee injury and he left the stadium wearing a brace on his left leg and underwent an MRI Monday. The extent of his injury is not known. Hester was released in San Diego’s final cuts after four seasons with the Chargers. He is considered a fullback but is a little bit of a tweener at 5-11, 235 pounds. He was a special teams captain for the Chargers.

Johnson was an undrafted free agent who spent time in camp and on the practice squad of the Seahawks. Radway, an Abilene Christian product, was cut by the Cowboys at the end of preseason. He joined them as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and suffered a broken leg in the final seconds of the club’s final preseason game.

bmbiggs@tribune.com

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670 has been reporting that Bush is battling a shoulder injury from the Rams game. I'm not confident in Bell (b/c of his history of not holding on to the ball), but he might be our best bet till Forte comes back. Hopefully Da Bears can get their back field back to 100% over the next three weeks b/c we will definitely need them when facing the Lions after the bye week.

Not too surprising that Grant jumped on the chance to join the Skins. Probably more money was offered and less competition, which means he can easily become a three down back there with just having to battle out Morris and Royster for carries.