What Does Jakeem Grant Bring To The Browns Offense?

Cleveland Browns fans will see a new-looking roster in Week One this September compared to one year ago.

Considering the disappointment of last season, that’s become both a good and necessary thing.

One of the fresh faces in the locker room is wide receiver, Jakeem Grant.

Grant signed a three-year, $10 million dollar deal with Cleveland this offseason after leaving the Chicago Bears.

The seventh-year man out of Texas Tech spent the previous six years with the Miami Dolphins where he earned Second-team All-Pro honors following 2020.

For being a sixth-round draft pick, he’s done a great job of finding a role and making a home in the league.

As a speedster and special teams specialist, he’s a weapon any time he steps on the field.

What will he bring to the Browns and their offense this upcoming campaign?

Special Teams Threat

While not technically part of the “offense”, the special teams lift Grant will give Cleveland is immense.

He’s been dynamite as a return man, as he put on display in Chicago last season.

97 YARD PUNT RETURN FOR JAKEEM GRANT SR 😳

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/gjJH4LHYUY

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 13, 2021

In 2021, Grant finished tied for third-most punt return yards and 14^th in kick return yards.

Cleveland has lacked a true dominant return man since Josh Cribbs’ days of wreaking havoc.

Positive mental attitude heading to Kansas City. Josh Cribbs 2009 #Browns pic.twitter.com/kclpGljndo

— CleWest (@erjmanlasvegas) January 13, 2021

Having Grant back to return will pay off for the offense.

That makes opposing kickers think about who they’re kicking to, and where they need to kick it to avoid a huge return.

That leads to mistakes and botched kicks, leading to potentially great field position for the offense.

Screen and Sweeps

The five-foot-seven Grant, who weighs 171-pounds, isn’t someone Cleveland wants running to many crossing routes.

Defending linebackers might eat him for lunch.

Still, there are other ways to get the speedy Grant involved in the offense.

One of those options is to get him going on screen routes.

One or two missed tackles and the guy can run for miles.

He’s surprisingly strong for a guy of his stature and can shake off poor tackles in the secondary.

Another way to get Grant the ball in space is with jet-sweeps.

This is something Miami tried with Grant but didn’t often find success with.

Grant is yet to eclipse 35 rushing yards in a season.

When things did work, however, explosive plays were the result.

So Adam Gase uses that knowledge and calls the jet sweep for Jakeem Grant’s first touchdown of the game. Just a brilliant play call pic.twitter.com/FttVM40lDV

— Travis Wingfield (@WingfieldNFL) September 25, 2018

Cleveland has a much better offensive front than those Dolphins teams ever did.

Stefanski may look to run some sweeps in Grant’s direction to let him utilize his quickness in the open field.

Take the Top Off

There’s no question Grant has the ability to take the top off the opposing defense with his speed.

He can get past corners and safeties, he just hasn’t been able to make the catch consistently.

It became a big enough issue in Miami to the point where Dolphins fans had memes in the works.

https://twitter.com/GhostOfAdamGase/status/1338935097089794051

His dropped pass numbers don’t appear too bad, however, it will be interesting to see if he can make those downfield plays.

If he can, his talent can take the Browns’ offense up a notch.