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Jakeem Grant

Dolphins Trade Jakeem Grant To Bears

October 5th, 2021 at 10:24am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins are trading wide receiver Jakeem Grant to the Bears (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). In exchange, the Bears will ship a 2023 sixth-round draft pick to the ‘Fins. 

Grant survived the Dolphins’ final round of cuts, but only after agreeing to a reworked deal. The receiver’s new contract is both cheaper and shorter. He was set to be under club control for two more seasons. Now, he’s got just one more year to go, so he’ll be a free agent in the spring of 2022. The revised pact — now owned by the Bears — leaves him with a one-year deal worth up to $3MM via incentives.

Grant registered 36 receptions for 373 yards and one touchdown through 14 games in 2020. Then, a high-ankle sprain in December cut his season short. Before he was placed on IR, Grant stood as the league leader in punt return yards (330) and per-return average (11.4). He also added to his highlight reel with a punt return for a TD against the the Rams in November —a difference-maker in their 28-17 win.

He didn’t factor much into the Dolphins’ early-season offense, catching two passes for a net loss of seven yards. On special teams, he’s got eight punt returns for 59 yards (7.4 on avg) and two kick returns for 46 yards (23.0 avg).

In Chicago, Grant will likely take over KR/PR duties from Khalil Herbert and Nsimba Webster.

Dolphins, Jakeem Grant Shorten Contract

September 1st, 2021 at 8:57am CST by Zachary Links

Jakeem Grant survived the Dolphins’ final round of cuts after agreeing to a reworked deal. The receiver’s new contract isn’t just cheaper — it’s also shorter (via Adam H. Beasley of Pro Football Network).

Grant was set to be under club control for two more seasons. Now, he’s got just one more year to go, so he’ll be a free agent in the spring of 2022. The revised pact leaves him with a one-year deal that could be worth up to $3MM via incentives.

Grant registered 36 receptions for 373 yards and one touchdown through 14 games last year. Then, a high-ankle sprain in December cut his season short. Before he was placed on IR, Grant stood as the league leader in punt return yards (330) and per-return average (11.4). He also added to his highlight reel with a punt return for a TD against the the Rams in November —a difference-maker in their 28-17 win.

Without the revision, it’s likely that Grant would have missed the cut. Instead, roster hopefuls Kai Locksley, Kirk Merritt, and Malcolm Perry got their pink slips. Grant will slot in as the ‘Fins WR 4/5, alongside Will Fuller, DeVante Parker, rookie first-rounder Jaylen Waddle, and veteran Albert Wilson.

Dolphins To Keep Jakeem Grant

August 31st, 2021 at 2:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins explored trades involving wide receiver Jakeem Grant, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Instead, he’ll stay on board with a restructured deal. 

Through 14 games last year, Grant posted 36 catches for 373 yards and one touchdown. He also made an impact in the return game. He led the league with 330 punt return yards and an average of 11.4 yards per attempt, up until his high-ankle sprain in December. His finest work came against the Rams in November when Grant’s return-turned-TD boosted Miami to a 28-17 win.

In addition to Grant, the Dolphins currently have Will Fuller, DeVante Parker, rookie first-rounder Jaylen Waddle, and veteran Albert Wilson atop the WR depth chart.

Latest On Dolphins’ WRs

August 11th, 2021 at 4:59pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

For years the Dolphins have lacked quality receivers, but now they actually have an abundance of depth at the position. It’s a good problem to have, but it also means that some solid players could be on the outside looking in when we get to roster cut-downs.

There’s a lot of uncertainty at the position and a lot to sort through, and fortunately Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald just broke it all down. Albert Wilson flashed a ton of potential during his first season with the Dolphins in 2018, but injuries hampered him then and in 2019. He then opted out of the 2020 season, leading many to believe he’d be on the roster bubble this time around. However, it appears that he’s safe. Wilson is “going to be on the team,” Jackson writes, noting he’s been the most consistent receiver in camp.

The same can’t be said for 2020 third-round pick Lynn Bowden. The Kentucky product has “gone from slight front-runner to make the team to very much on the bubble with an underwhelming camp,” despite being the 80th overall pick just last year. In 10 games and four starts last year, Bowden had 28 catches for 211 yards.

Meanwhile, there’s some bad news on Preston Williams. The 2019 UDFA has looked like a diamond in the rough find the past couple years, but he apparently isn’t over the Lisfranc foot injury that cut his 2020 short. Although the team “originally was optimistic that Williams would be fine to start the season,” the Colorado State product now “appears iffy at best” for Week 1.

Jackson writes that Williams is a candidate to start the year on the PUP list, which would sideline him for the first six games. He also says the “odds are against” veteran Allen Hurns making the 53, even though Hurns has $1.2MM in guaranteed money coming his way.

Jackson also expects the Dolphins to be open to a potential trade of Jakeem Grant if a team in need of a returner is willing to part with a late-round pick. In addition to all these guys, Miami still has Will Fuller, DeVante Parker, and rookie first-rounder Jaylen Waddle at the top of the depth chart.

Dolphins’ Jakeem Grant To Miss Time

December 28th, 2020 at 10:19am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins pulled out the win over the Raiders, but they lost one of their top receivers in the process. Jakeem Grant suffered a high-ankle sprain in the third quarter and he’ll be out for Sunday’s crucial game against the Bills, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). 

Grant had five catches for 43 yards against the Raiders before his right leg was drilled at an awkward angle. Even if the Dolphins manage to get into the playoffs, they might have to forge ahead without the 28-year-old, who could be headed to the injured reserve list.

Through 14 games, Grant has 36 catches for 373 yards and one touchdown to his credit. Meanwhile, his impact in the return game cannot be understated. He currently leads the league with 330 punt return yards and an average of 11.4 yards per attempt. That includes Grant’s return-turned-TD against the Rams in November, boosting Miami to a 28-17 win.

The Dolphins can clinch a playoff berth in Week 17 with a win over the Bills. If they lose, they’ll need a loss from the Ravens, Browns, or Colts to continue to the postseason.

AFC East Rumors: Williams, Jets, Dolphins

August 28th, 2020 at 6:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Patriots appear to be putting their cornerback depth to good use. One of the Pats’ corners, Joejuan Williams, is now attending meetings exclusively as a safety, Michael Giardi of NFL.com tweets. New England’s 2019 second-round pick, Williams only played 80 defensive snaps as a rookie. But the Vanderbilt product was stuck behind the likes of Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty and Jonathan Jones. Those three are back in 2020, but the Pats’ safety group looks considerably different.

The team’s longtime Devin McCourty–Patrick Chung–Duron Harmon trio is down to just McCourty, though the Pats did sign former Charger Adrian Phillips and drafted Kyle Dugger in Round 2. Dugger, however, played at a Division II school and has not had much time this offseason for on-field work. At 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, Williams has the size to transition to safety. The Pats frequently used three safeties in coverage over the past several years.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • Le’Veon Bell has not enjoyed a quality training camp, with Brian Costello of the New York Post rating the Jets‘ starting running back as the team’s third-most impressive back in camp — behind Frank Gore and rookie fourth-rounder La’Mical Perine. Bell enjoyed his worst season in 2019, but the Jets featured a bottom-tier offensive line. They have since made several upgrade attempts. The Jets have Bell under contract for three more seasons, but just one of them features guaranteed money. Bell, 28, is set to count $15.5MM against the Jets’ cap this season.
  • More than a week after bringing Donte Moncrief in for a workout, the Jets again summoned the wideout to their facility. Moncrief visited the Jets on Friday. This comes after the former third-round pick and veteran auxiliary wide receiver met with the 49ers. San Francisco went in a different direction, however. The 6-4 target amassed 668 receiving yards with the 2018 Jaguars but did not make an impact with the Steelers or Panthers last season.
  • The Jets’ wideout interest stems partially from being without Denzel Mims. The second-round rookie has missed all of the team’s work in pads, with The Athletic’s Connor Hughes noting Mims is not yet doing individual drills (subscription required). Mims suffered the injury during the team’s ramp-up period earlier this month. With 2020 already presenting unfavorable circumstances for rookies, Mims may well face an uphill battle to be an early-season contributor.
  • Dolphins first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene is competing with Jakeem Grant and recent addition Chester Rogers for return jobs, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. A cornerback out of Auburn, Igbinoghene notched two kick-return touchdowns in college. He did not return any punts at Auburn, however, so this would seemingly leave the punt-return competition to the two veterans. The elusive Grant has four NFL return TDs, including two on punt returns.
  • Fellow Dolphins rookie Solomon Kindley still has a chance to be one of the team’s starting guards, with Jackson noting that the fourth-round rookie may be a bit ahead of second-round O-lineman Robert Hunt. The Dolphins still view Hunt as a player who could contribute at both guard and tackle, while Kindley — the No. 111 overall pick out of Georgia — is showing well at right guard. The Dolphins signed Ereck Flowers to play left guard this offseason, and guard-tackle hybrid Jesse Davis may be set to again open as the team’s right tackle.

AFC East Notes: Patriots, Gronk, Jets

February 3rd, 2020 at 10:36am CST by Zachary Links

On Super Bowl week, former Patriots star Rob Gronkowski explained just how dejected he was during his final season on the field.

“I 100 percent lost a step (in my last year). I actually lost like three steps some games,” Gronk told Barstool Sports (Twitter link via WEEI’s Ryan Hannable). “I didn’t even want to be out there on the field. I was like, ‘Yo, I feel like complete ass. Coach, put Dwayne (Allen) in, I don’t even care.’ I was at that point.”

Gronk is retired, for now, but he continues to leave the door open, in case his motivation returns. The tight end’s latest comments shed some light on his mindset in his final games, however, so it might take a lot for Gronkowski to lace ’em up again.

Here’s more from the AFC East:

Dolphins Place WR Jakeem Grant On IR

November 27th, 2019 at 2:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

The ankle injury Jakeem Grant sustained will end his season. The Dolphins placed Jakeem Grant on IR on Wednesday and promoted fellow wide receiver Isaiah Ford from their practice squad to fill his roster spot.

One of the NFL’s shiftiest players, Grant has primarily served as Miami’s return man. He has four return touchdowns in four seasons, including a kick-return score this season. Grant played in 10 of the Dolphins’ 11 games but will finish a second straight season on IR.

Miami’s reconstructed front office saw enough from Grant during his first three seasons to extend him over the summer. The 5-foot-7 wideout is signed through the 2023 season via the four-year, $19.7MM re-up he inked in August. One of many Dolphins veteran wideouts signed beyond this season, the former sixth-round pick will finish this season with 19 receptions for 164 yards.

Grant joined Albert Wilson in suffering injuries Sunday in Cleveland and will join Preston Williams on Miami’s IR list. A 2017 seventh-round pick, Ford played three games earlier this season for the Dolphins.

Extra Points: Colts, Dolphins, JPP, Broncos

November 25th, 2019 at 9:48pm CST by Ben Levine

The Colts are expecting Devin Funchess to return soon, but head coach Frank Reich didn’t want to say anything definitive when talking with reporters on Monday.

“Yeah, we’re gonna monitor him as we go,” Reich said (via Andrew Walker of the team’s website). “You know, we’ve already talked about his injury a bunch; I mean we’ve gotta make sure that thing’s 100 percent healed, so we’ll monitor it this week and see how it goes.”

Reich did note that wideout T.Y. Hilton didn’t suffer a setback with his calf injury during Thursday’s night loss to the Texans, and he also revealed that receiver Parris Campbell could return this week from a fractured hand. Running back Marlon Mack won’t play this weekend against the Titans, according to the head coach.

Let’s check out some more notes from around the NFL…

  • The Dolphins will likely be on the hunt for wide receiver help, according to ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe (via Twitter). Jakeem Grant (ankle) and Albert Wilson (rib) both suffered injuries during Sunday’s loss to the Browns, leaving the team with only two healthy receivers in DeVante Parker and Allen Hurns. Head coach Brian Flores noted that he’s uncertain if Grant or Wilson would end up missing the rest of the season due to their injuries (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).
  • Buccaneers linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul played 76-percent of his team’s defensive snaps this weekend, earning him another $600K. As Greg Auman of The Athletic tweets, the veteran has already earned $3MM in bonuses in five games, and he could earn another $3MM through his team’s final five games. Pierre-Paul has a $3MM base salary this season.
  • Take this for what it’s worth, but Vic Fangio told reporters that Broncos quarterback Drew Lock could “possibly” be on the roster this Sunday and could “possibly” start vs. the Chargers (via Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post on Twitter). The second-round rookie has been on the IR since September, but he was designated to return earlier this month.
  • Former NFL running back Karlos Williams has signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, the team announced on Twitter. Williams ran for 517 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, but he was later slapped with three separate suspensions. The 26-year-old was reinstated from his indefinite suspension last February, and he’s finally found his next gig.

Dolphins Notes: Clowney, Grant, Alonso

August 27th, 2019 at 7:15pm CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins believe they are the favorites to land Texans star Jadeveon Clowney, but Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com believes that Miami would have to increase Clowney’s tag number (currently just under $16MM) to something in the $20MM+ range to land the former No. 1 overall pick (Twitter link). Fitzgerald suggests that the Dolphins may not be interested in giving Clowney the long-term deal he wants and could be looking to trade a second-round pick for Clowney this year and flipping him for a first-rounder next year.

Let’s take a quick swing around South Beach:

  • Wide receiver Jakeem Grant‘s extension was reported as a four-year, $24MM pact, but NFL Insider Adam Caplan says the base value is actually $19.7MM (Twitter link). The total value could increase to $24MM with Pro Bowl incentives. The contract includes $7.5MM in guaranteed money, only $3.72MM of which is fully guaranteed.
  • The Dolphins are said to be shopping linebacker Kiko Alonso, though rival teams expect him to be cut. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that head coach Brian Flores was non-committal when asked about the status of Alonso and tight end Dwayne Allen, both of whom have battled injuries this summer. Alonso returned to practice on a limited basis Sunday, and while Jackson says Miami could very well keep him around in 2019, it would not be surprising if both Alonso and Allen were released.
  • More from Jackson, who suggests that edge rusher Nate Orchard is on the roster bubble. Though Flores didn’t elaborate, he said “this will be a big week” for Orchard. It sounds as if one of last year’s “Hard Knocks” stars could find his way onto the 53-man roster with a strong performance in Miami’s last preseason game.
  • The Dolphins’ QB competition between Josh Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick remains open.
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