I don't wish Grant any ill will, and hope that he recovers and can latch on with another team, but I'm really ready for him to be finished as a Dolphin.
If he was healthy I'd definitely want him but probably at a lower cost than what he got. Hes definitely electric but what does that matter if hes always out of juice?
Even when healthy, he's very limited. And if he isn't going to be a punt returner any longer, then all he's got going is as a KR and a threat on trick plays. I would much rather fill the reserve spots on the WR roster next season with other young guys who have the potential to develop into productive players on offense.
Given the new contract Grant got, I think he returns for 2020 before his roster spot is taken by a rookie in 2021. Unless he can find a way onto the field on a regular basis as the #4 WR.
The team would only take on 2.4m in dead money by cutting him, and would create about 2m in cap space. I don't think that the contract will get in the way of a football descision here.
Hes exactly what I'd want in a #5 WR and KR/PR which is why I say I like him but not at that price. His ability to hit a home run demands a fair salary special teams is more important than some people give it credit for. That said, trying to make him a main offensive focus to me is a mistake. Hes a guy to me you use in certain situations or in a 4 wide set where the field is spread. .
I like Grant and had high hopes for him at WR. However, I agree. Especially after seeing the productivity of Parker and Williams. It seems like we are a team that does better when we have bigger WR on the outside.
Hes a guy you want to get the ball to in space. I'd try creative things for him like lining up at HB in the Shotgun 2 RB set and either taking a sweep or running a short pattern out of the backfield. The defense would need to either bring in a smaller defender to cover Grant and lose some of their run defense for our other back or try and have a LB cover him. If a safety takes the coverage you now have deep balls open for Parker and Williams. I'm not saying this would work or I'm some offensive genius, but Grant isnt a normal WR. You have to scheme his explosiveness into the gameplan.
Grant is done. For people saying he's a guy you have to get the ball to in space...stop. obviously through different coaching staffs it's not happening. They're not going to build an offense around him and he's not worth the one kickoff return every two years.
You dont build an offense around guys you have to scheme for. You use specific packages that exploit their talents 2-3 times a game. Dont act like hes never made plays or showed open field ability. His injuries are now a serious concern to that so going forward I'd agree, but you basically just said dont use him how he needs to be used.