Jakeem Grant has faced challenges since his departure from the Miami Dolphins, but he’s now getting an opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Saturday that Grant will join the Falcons. This news followed a preseason game on Friday night where the Falcons competed against the Dolphins, Grant’s original NFL team.
The Falcons were searching for a wide receiver following the loss of Rondale Moore, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during joint practices with the Dolphins at the Baptist Health Training Complex. Grant, who was a free agent, last played in the NFL in 2021. He spent two years with the Cleveland Browns but did not play in 2022 due to a torn Achilles, nor in 2023 due to a torn patellar tendon, both injuries occurring in the preseason.
Grant’s tenure in Miami was marked by his exceptional skills in returning kicks. Drafted by the Dolphins in the sixth round in 2016, Grant spent over five seasons with the team, during which he scored three punt return touchdowns and two kickoff return touchdowns. His peak receiving year was 2020, with 36 catches, 373 yards, and four touchdowns.
In 2018, Grant notably returned both a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns. His performance in 2020 earned him a second-team All-Pro designation as a returner, a title he retained the following year even as he split his season between the Dolphins and the Chicago Bears.
In 2021, the Dolphins exchanged Grant for a sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft to the Bears. The Dolphins later traded this pick to the Kansas City Chiefs as part of a deal for Tyreek Hill.
