Packers' players happy welcome back Ryan Grant

GREEN BAY - James Starks had arguably his best game of the season on Sunday running for 66 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings, but as the Packers luck with running backs has gone, Starks is now out with a knee injury.

The Packers turned to a familiar face to provide some depth at running back signing Ryan Grant, who’s fifth on the Packers all-time rushing list.

Grant ran for over 500 yards last season for Green Bay but the Packers chose not to re-sign him this off-season. Grant said he knows the NFL is a business and is ready to go to work.

"I didn't come back here for a feel good story. I came back here to help this team," said Grant.

Having not appeared in a game since October 7th how much can the Packers expect from the soon to be 30-year-old Grant?

According to Mike McCarthy, "I don't expect him to go out and play 60 plays this week. We'll look at the week's work and see where he's at."

Grant said he feels great physically but does need to shake off a little rust.

"Really the biggest thing is getting my legs underneath me and just protection wise and game plan wise that I'm sound from that aspect," Grant said Wednesday.

Usually the addition of a player whose season consists of one run for five yards isn’t a reason for celebration but the Packers happily welcomed back Grant.

Mike McCarthy told the media Wednesday, "He (Grant) walked in the gym walk through this morning after completing his business and got a standing ovation so I think that tells you what the locker room thinks of him."

Grant enjoyed the welcome but wasn’t reading too much into it.

"Yeah I kind think it was more of a joke kid of thing," Grant said.

Aaron Rodgers said Grant was wrong and the welcome was earnest.

"No there was no joke it was all respect. We like to make jokes from time to time,” said Rodgers. "I think it was legit, at least it was for me. I don't know about the rest of the guys. We were excited to see him back."

It can be difficult to add a player this late in the season and have faith in them to do the job, but James Jones said that won’t be an issue with Grant.

"We believe in him man so that's good. When you get a guy that's been here, knows the playbook, ain't really gotta learn too much, he can already come in here and play," Jones said.