Grant Not Planning on Going Anywhere
After the Dolphins loaded up at wide receiver in the offseason with the acquisitions of Will Fuller V and Jaylen Waddle to complement the return of 2020 opt-outs Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns, it was tempting to write off Jakeem Grant.
More than tempting, it was almost logical.
But Grant isn't thinking about his place on the Miami Dolphins roster, he's thinking about how he can build on a 2020 season that saw him set career highs as a receiver and earn second-team All-Pro honors as a punt returner.
This is what Grant said when asked Wednesday whether he's thinking at all about where he stands in the wide receiver corps: “Honestly not. Not at all. I've been betting on myself, my whole life, and it's not gonna stop now.”
What's led to the thought that Grant's days with the Dolphins might be numbered is the fact that Waddle was a dynamic returner at Alabama and he certainly could handle that role in the NFL.
And Grant's value with the Dolphins since he arrived as a sixth-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft certainly has been more as a returner than a receiver.
The fact that he's already the best returner in franchise history, while obviously impressive, might not be enough to save his roster spot heading into 2021.
Besides the four players mentioned earlier, the Dolphins also have at wide receiver DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, 2020 third-round pick Lynn Bowden Jr., and special teams contributors Mack Hollins and Robert Foster, who has been one of the stars of camp so far.
That's too many wide receivers for the number of roster spots (likely six) that are going to be allotted for the position.
So what's going to happen is some very good receivers are going to be released or perhaps one of them could end up being traded.
“Yeah, I mean, I've never thought about being traded or anything like that," Grant said. "I want to be here. Of course I want to be here. I've been here six years, and I wouldn't have agreed to an extension if I wanted to be somewhere else. I love being here. I've got a lot of good friends here, and so my main thing is just continue to go out there and show what I got.”
Head coach Brian Flores was asked about Grant before practice Wednesday, specifically about how much he values the return game in determining roster spots.
“I think there’s a lot of value in having an explosive returner who can flip the field and flip field position and score," Flores said. "I think we all see the value in that. Jakeem, obviously is very explosive. He’s obviously productive, not only as a returner but as a receiver as well. We’re happy to have him.
"We’ll keep working. Obviously there’s a lot of competition in that room."
With Parker, Fuller and Williams having done or little or no work camp this summer, it's given every other receiver a chance at more opportunities, and so far Grant has made the most of them.
As he pointed out himself, he had some drops last year, though he did set career highs in receptions and yards after injuries gave him more offensive snaps.
But the highlight of his season again was the return game, and it was as a punt return that he earned second-team All-Pro recognition from The Associated Press.
“It meant a honestly. and then, I will say, it made me more humble," Grant said. "And it made me, ... I took the approach with the Ricky Bobby saying, If you're not first, you’re last. So I want to be first-team All Pro, and hat's my goal this year, and, I'm gonna continue to do what I have to do at practice so I can reach those goals in the game.
“It's made me extremely hungry and knowing that I had a career high in receptions and yards, it just made me want to go and get it on both ends, offense and returns."
