Getty Cleveland Browns co-owner Jimmy Haslam talks with general manager Andrew Berry.
The Cleveland Browns have some tough choices to make once training camp begins, perhaps the most difficult of which pertain to the wide receiver group.
Cleveland added several pass-catching pieces this offseason, which further complicates the puzzle of who will stay and who will go. There are some locks, of course, but firmly on the roster bubble is wideout and Pro-Bowl return specialist Jakeem Grant.
The Browns signed Grant to a three-year, $10 million deal in 2022 to reshape the return game and potentially contribute to an air attack led by then-new quarterback Deshaun Watson. However, disaster struck during training camp, as Grant tore his Achilles tendon in early August and was lost for the year.
Cleveland restructured Grant’s contract this offseason, which reduced his salary cap number by roughly half and made his return to the roster more likely. However, part of the reason Grant earned the deal he did was because the Browns planned to use him on both special teams and offense.
Now, with the influx of receiving talent the team prioritized over the last several months, it’s harder to see exactly how Grant fits into the offense, if at all, and more difficult to justify his contract.
Browns Projected to Cut Jakeem Grant, Anthony Schwartz
GettyWide receiver and kick returner Jakeem Grant (right), of the Cleveland Browns, runs with the football as defensive end and teammate Myles Garrett pursues him during the NFL Pro Bowl Game in February 2022.
Jake Burns of Orange and Brown Report on Friday, July 14, took a stab at predicting the Browns’ 53-man roster come the last round of cuts at the end of August. For the time being, Burns has Grant firmly on the roster bubble amid a crowded receiver room, along with players like Anthony Schwartz.
Jakeem Grant’s History as NFL Receiver Will Make Keeping Roster Spot With Browns Difficult
GettyCleveland Browns wide receiver and kick returner Jakeem Grant faces an uphill battle to earn a roster spot in 2023.
Grant’s case for making Cleveland’s roster in 2023 is buoyed by his contract restructure in February, but it is hurt by his history of injury and his age.
The specialist is a two-time Second-Team All-Pro as a return man (2020, 2021) and earned his sole Pro-Bowl nod at the position two seasons ago when he split time between the Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears.
However, the 5’7″ Grant has tallied just 100 receptions over his seven-year NFL career and missed the entirety of the 2022 campaign with the Achilles injury. He has gained 1,140 yards and scored seven touchdowns as a receiver, per Pro Football Reference. He has also notched 17 carries for 76 yards and one score as a running back. Grant will play the upcoming season, his eighth as a professional, at 31 years old.
Given his diminutive stature by NFL standards and status as a late-round draft pick (No. 186 overall in the sixth round in 2016), betting against Grant feels like a precarious wager. But despite his propensity for overcoming long odds, Cleveland’s offense may simply be too stacked in 2023 for Grant to squeeze onto the roster.