The Cleveland Browns are expecting the worst when it comes to their free agent wide receiver and returner Jakeem Grant. Grant went down with an injury during practice on Tuesday and struggled to get onto the cart to get off the field.
Grant was added as a free agent from the Chicago Bears. Grant started his career with over five years with the Miami Dolphins. In both locations, he was primarily used as a returner with six career touchdowns on special teams.
As a receiver, Grant has caught 100 passes for 1,140 yards.
Cleveland brought him in on a three-year, $10 million deal to help revitalize their special teams with the potential to be a threat out of the slot as well. As expected when he went down, the Browns believe the injury is serious:
Statement from #Browns coach Kevin Stefanski on Jakeem Grant’s Achilles tear https://t.co/7AB2etwOUE pic.twitter.com/vtamWjsjLa
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2022
Generally, on-field testing for an Achilles injury is generally reliable with further imaging confirming the tear.
While Cam Akers returned for the Los Angeles Rams after tearing his Achilles in late July, his return came near the end of December. It is possible that Cleveland could hope for the same for Grant but that would require them to keep him on the initial 53-man roster before placing him on injured reserve as they did LB Jacob Phillips last year.
The Browns will now look elsewhere to solve the return issues they had hoped Grant would take care of.