Jakeem Grant wants to be known as a receiver, but his kick and punt return ability has made one of the more desired return specialist. (TheLandOnDeamnd)
Jakeem Grant hoping to make history as Browns returner, but also wants to make his mark on offense
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Rock star place-kicker Cade York isn’t the only major addition to the beleaguered Browns special teams.
Introducing … return specialist Jakeem Grant. He’s a three-time Pro Bowler with six return touchdowns in six NFL seasons.
“I think [he] is going to transform our return game,” said special teams coordinator Mike Priefer.
He better hope so. The Browns haven’t had return touchdown since Travis Benjamin in 2015.
Grant’s signing in free agency in March was completely overshadowed amid the bang-bang-bang transactions of Amari Cooper, Deshaun Watson and Jacoby Brissett.
It’s easy to overlook Grant. He is the littlest Brown – 5-7 and 172 pounds.
Yet in six NFL seasons – 5 ¼ with the Dolphins and 11 games with the Bears – Grant has never suffered a major injury returning kicks. The only injury of note in his NFL career was an Achilles injury running a pass route in a game in 2018. It was a freakish non-contact injury and did not result in a tear.
“Be a jitterbug, man. Just not get hit,” Grant said of the secret to his survival in the Land of Giants. “I always pride myself on you can’t hit what you can’t catch. So if they can’t catch me, they can’t hit me.”
Gerald “Ice Cube” McNeil had the same philosophy in the late 1980s. McNeil was listed as 145 pounds, but told me after retirement he was closer to 125. In four seasons, Cube never suffered an a major injury with the Browns while averaging 9.6 yards on punt returns and 20.3 on kickoffs. In 1986, he was the only NFL player to score a touchdown on a punt and kickoff return. Grant turned that double play in 2018 with the Dolphins.
But McNeil was never a threat on offense. He had only 24 receptions and four runs in four seasons with the Browns. Grant has 100 receptions in his six seasons.
“I preach I’m a receiver first before a returner,” Grant said. “I’m going to continue to preach that message and I’m going to continue to work on that ‘til I get that opportunity to have that breakout season.”
Grant has taken advantage of increased reps in camp due to injuries to receivers David Bell, Anthony Schwartz, and now Michael Woods. He had 19 receptions with the Dolphins in 2019 when Browns receivers coach Chad O’Shea was Dolphins offensive coordinator.
“We will see what Jakeem is capable of in a role like that,” coach Kevin Stefanski said.
“[Jakeem] is an explosive player. I think the players get a kick out of him on these practice fields when he has the ball in his hands because his feet do move at a different speed than the rest of us.”
Yes, Grant is going to make a much bigger impact in the return game than on offense. But he will get his chances on offense, too, considering the uncertainty at the receiver position this summer.
“If the head coach wants to use him on offense, use him on offense,” Priefer said. “He is way too talented to be standing next to me all of the time.
"I think he is a phenomenal returner. I do not think he takes the hits a lot of guys take because of his stature, but his quickness and his center of gravity, he has got great vision. [Former Bears return specialist] Devin Hester, one of his strengths – he was one of the greatest of all time in my opinion – he had that tremendous vision like most great returners have. I think Jakeem has that vision. He understands the game. He understands situational football. That is the element that he brings, along with his athletic ability.”
Priefer has always stressed possession and field position over explosive returns. But in Grant, he now has his first Pro Bowl returner as Browns special teams coordinator.
In previous year, Priefer has used a committee approach at punt and kick return. Not now. Grant is inscribed on the unofficial first Browns depth chart as the team’s No. 1 punt and kickoff returner. A true return specialist.
“I talked to Prief … and we had a great understanding,” Grant said. “Now the sky’s the limit for us. We’re going to make history together.
“It was more of the reason I came here is because of how aggressive they are on punt returns,” Grant said. “I think they only had five fair catches the whole season [in 2021]. They’re very aggressive in the return game. That’s what I love. I’m a non-fair catch guy. I’m looking to score multiple touchdowns.”
Brownie bit
The Browns’ first unofficial depth chart had no real surprises but a few clarifications.
* The quarterback order is Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett, Josh Dobbs and Josh Rosen.
* James Hudson is the backup at left tackle and Chris Hubbard the backup at right tackle.
* Harrison Bryant is considered a co-starter at tight end with David Njoku.
* Jordan Elliott and Taven Bryan are the first-team defensive tackles.
* Anthony Walker and Jacob Phillips are listed as co-starters at middle linebacker.
*, Rookie cornerback Martin Emerson is list ahead of A.J. Green at cornerback.
