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Jakeem Grant

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Redwine4all, May 4, 2017.

  1. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    Critical camp for him and us. If his ability to field punts has improved where he can be THE return man, I think that'll be huge to this team. Few in the NFL are as explosive as this kid. But, if were having to sub him at critical times, then we might want to look else where. Dependability is the first trait for return men...explosiveness is a (huge) bonus.

    I have confidence in him. I think our STs are going to be excellent this year.
     
  2. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I in wait and see mode with Grant. His speed and agility are terrific, but he doesn't seem to have great awareness or hands. Honestly, I'm much higher on Drake as our return man, and would like to see the team give him a shot at both KR and PR. If Grant can become a great return guy, then awesome, but I wouldn't say that I expect it to happen. You're right that this camp is critical for him. I think that he has a wider range of outcomes than almost any other player on the roster.
     
  3. EverFin

    EverFin Active Member

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    I guess it should be possible to coach a guy to be concentrated and have the awarness to field a punt, even in critical situations. With his Speed he absolutely has to be our return guy.
     
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  4. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    Well, its not as if Drake is slow. And he averaged 30.5 yards on 13 KRs last season, including the TD. Grant averaged 23.1 yards on 19 returns. Drake consistantly gave the team solid field position though (which I consider to be the returner's primary job), while Grant was wildly unpredictable.

    Grant averaged 8.3 yards per return on 20 PRs, but take away his one TD, and that average drops all the way down to 4.8 yards on the other 19. Thats just not acceptable. But as I said, hopefully he's learned a lot and looks a lot better in camp.
     
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  5. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    I love this kid! He's so exciting to watch but he's only going to be a returner. The kid's 5'6" and 160 lbs. He'll never be able to play WR because he's too short and won't be able to convert to RB as he's too light so kick return he is, but this is where the entire special teams needs to step up its game.

    Grant has INCREDIBLE acceleration...it's not so much his speed, it's how quickly he gets up to speed but this is where Grant and the entire special teams needs to pick up it game in the return portion of their play. If the team can set up and establish blocking lanes, allowing for Grant's acceleration, he's going to have some game changing kick returns, but if special teams are depending on his speed alone, his returns are going to be good, but nothing that's going to affect field position.

    Additionally, I noticed so many times last year that Grant...not Landry or Drake for that matter had many opportunities for kick off returns as many of the kickers were kicking touchbacks. Not much we can do about that.

    But like I said, I REALLY love this kid and I hope he's with the team a long time.
     
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  6. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

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    Nowadays you have to do more than just play ST


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  7. Not So Fast

    Not So Fast Well-Known Member

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    I think Grier drafted Isaiah Ford to push Grant. If he doesn't step up, Ford will take his spot.
     
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  8. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    They're very different. Ford would be more to push Carroo, who's actually a WR, but couldn't get onto the field last season and was benched in favor of a guy we signed off the street, even though he was someone we'd invested a lot into.

    Grant and Drake are the returners currently on the roster. As Knight said, its unlikely that Grant will ever have much of a role at WR, aside from perhaps some plays where they try to scheme him open in space and get him the ball where he has room.
     
  9. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    I disagree that Grant can't play WR. I think he could stand to put on a few pounds, but it's not like WR's of his size haven't been playing in the NFL. Steve Smith and Wes Welker are only about 2 inches taller and maybe 10 lbs heavier than Grant, for example.

     
    Last edited: May 4, 2017
  10. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    I think Grier drafted Ford because he was BPA at our pick in the 7th. I really don't think it goes deeper than that.
     
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  11. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    If I was Grant I would have spent the entire off season fielding punts from someone, somehow. His issue last year wasn't the actual act of returning the punt, it was simply catching it :lol: I'd like to see him be a bit more disciplined as well when it comes to touchbacks on kickoffs. I thought there were too many instances last year where he cost us valuable yards on kick returns. Take the free yardage on the touchback. I get it, he's got explosive speed and moves, but I'd rather be starting at the 25, than the 15 or worse on some of those kick returns he should have taken the touchback on.

    As for him as a WR... I'd love if we could find a way on offense to get him involved. Sounds like they tried to a lot last year, but the incompetence of our offense at times just didn't lend to the ideal situations to try and get him involved. I'd love to see us be able to use him the way KC uses Hill.

    Hopefully he's put in lots of work this offseason to improve.
     
  12. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I am nuts over watching Grant play...how can you not root for the little guy that runs like a missile? But with that said, Landry was a far superior return man in every possible aspect. I can see why they'd want to rest Landry for breaking tackles as receiver, but I'm thinking that they move on from Grant this season unless he can work his way into the offense. Those muffed punts/kicks will not be forgotten in 2017.

    I do hate saying that though because I'm a huge fan- there's not another "bubble player" I want to see succeed more.
     
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  13. Surfs Up 99

    Surfs Up 99 Team Flores & Team Tua

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    I am pulling for Grant to take the next step. IMO, he needs to play within himself and understand his limitations. He seems to be trying too hard to make something happen and is slipping and falling all over the place. Hopefully this year, things will slow down a little more for him.
     
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  14. Tin Indian

    Tin Indian Rockin' The Bottom End Club Member

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    In his defense, I don't think he really returned punts before being asked to last year. Catching a punt is quite a bit different from catching a kick off.

    I do agree that he has to step up his game on punt returns and have better situational awareness on kick offs. Cant have 15 yard returns when we get 25 yards for free. I would like to see him on the field more in the passing game, but that is a tough group to crack.

    Honestly I am more concerned about the return on investment we had with Carroo than Grant though. Pretty much none.
     
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  15. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I think people will be pleasantly surprised once Carroo gets on the field- he plays like Landry with a no-quit attitude and flat out smokes people. The only reason he was on the bench last season was because he couldn't learn the playbook and his routes were not as crisp as they should have been...that will definitely change this season though.

    With that said, I'm more worried about Parker than Carroo or Grant. It's a good problem to have all these talented receivers that aren't quite living up to their potential though....so many darn weapons and so many ways to make teams pay.
     
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  16. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I have full confidence in Parker. Love the guy. When he breaks out, I have a feeling that he may be the best WR the team has had in decades.
     
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  17. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    I see the potential to be one of the best WR's in the entire league....he has it all. But the conditioning stuff and the nagging foot issue terrifies me. It's possible that he never fully lives up to his potential.

    Then again, if he plays at 80% of his potential, then he's still a dominant NFL player. So I don't think he will ever be a bust.
     
  18. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    He sure is gifted enough...just may take a little longer than the norm.
     
  19. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    You can't take the TD away from Grant...on Grants KO Return for a td, Drake nullified it for holding. Then Drake returned his for a TD...if Drake hadn't held, gents avg would have been much better.
     
  20. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    I didn't mean to say that he didn't earn the TD. Sorry if it came off that way. My point was that the rest of the season, he wasn't doing very much productive to help the Fins field position.
     
  21. CaribPhin

    CaribPhin Guest

    Regardless of what Grant has shown as a returner, which I think is a good bit so far, Tyreek Hill is the reason you keep him on the team.
     
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  22. P h i N s A N i T y

    P h i N s A N i T y My Porpoise in Life

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    He's not making the team if he doesn't prove himself reliable fielding kicks/punts. He has to focus on that first and foremost... if he wants to keep the dream alive.
     
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  23. Dolphin North

    Dolphin North Well-Known Member

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    Yes, all the speed and agility in the world won't make a great return man if he lacks vision.
     
  24. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

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    Where can he have room with the WR's ahead of him. I think he should focus on ST's and save Jarvis
     
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  25. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    I agree that ST's should be his forte. However, a few plays for him each game would be awesome and completely reasonable.
     
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  26. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    That would be great Dan...getting him on the field offensively along side of Landry but it would really be nothing more than a gimmick if you will. Our offense really needs to focus on smash mouthed football....a powerhouse offensive line that allows the Jay-Train to run wild and loosen up the defense for Tannehill to make some great plays.

    But it would be exciting, seeing defenses confused initially, trying to figure out who to focus coverage on....Landry or Grant
     
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  27. Gaijin

    Gaijin Member

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    It starts with measures. He is small. Even a small guy like Welker is 3 inches and 20 pounds bigger than him. More than that (he is well built and can take a beating, given the fact he is very hard to beat because of his crazy athleticism) he drops the ball, on punts and catches, because he has small hands and that has always been a problem for him. He is electric, I hope he finds a way to be reliable with the ball in his hands, but he faces an uphill climb.
     
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  28. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    Jakeem is 5'7" and 172
    Welker is 5'9" and 185

    Not a huge difference.
     
  29. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    Its not his size thats the biggest issue to me. Its his hands, indecisiveness, and poor choices when trying to make a big play when the average one is there to be had. For me, a returner's primary job is to get the ball past the point where the touchback would be. If a guy ends up inside the 20, its a huge fail.
     
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  30. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    It is not just the returner out there. It is also on the poor blocking
     
  31. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

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    Agreed. Our blocking on returns has been poor for a while now, no doubt. But I felt strongly last season that Drake took a much smarter approach on his KRs than Grant did on his most of the time.
     
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  32. Dol-Fan Dupree

    Dol-Fan Dupree Tank? Who is Tank? I am Guy Incognito.

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    I think Grant was doing what he was coached to do.
     
  33. TheOne

    TheOne Active Member

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    I think he could do some damage lined up as a WR and taking a handoff evey now and then.
     
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  34. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    Or focus.
     
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  35. Redwine4all

    Redwine4all Well-Known Member

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    But I think being a smashmouth, methodical offense makes Grant more dangerous. On inside running plays, have him in motion...twice a half, give him the ball...
     
  36. Dolphin North

    Dolphin North Well-Known Member

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    In the offense I would only expect him to be a guy you run reverses with, or fake reverses more often. He is short so it might be hard to pick him up and see when he has or does not have the ball. I would actually run fake reverses more often than actually giving him the ball, as the main reason to do this would be to keep defenders wide so Ajayi has more room to run in the middle.
     
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  37. Gaijin

    Gaijin Member

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    Jakeem is 5'6", combine measure. He is a midget as a wr, you cant deny that.


    Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk
     
  38. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

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    Good article on plans for Grant this year and some insights into the work he's been doing in the off-season to improve - including not dropping punts!

    ARTICLE by Barry Jackson (Miami Herald)

    Some snippets below - but read the full article for quotes from Rizzi and Christensen.

    "Let’s discuss the receiver plan first. He played only 19 snaps on offense last season - dropping the only pass thrown to him - and offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen said the plan is to give him a bigger role.

    To that end, the Dolphins have asked him to learn the outside receiver positions this offseason."

    "Meanwhile, Grant has been working on fielding punts after fumbling four times in games last season. Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi commended him for flying punter Matt Darr out to Texas so Grant could work on fielding punts."
     
  39. danmarino

    danmarino Tua is H1M! Club Member

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    I was going by the Dolphins site where they list him as 5'7". And yes, he's short.
     
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  40. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

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    I don't seem on the field, not with the talent we have. They can attempt it, but talking him up doesn't change my mind
     

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