Cleveland Browns wide receiver and kick return specialist Jakeem Grant suffered a serious injury in Cleveland's preseason finale over the Kansas City Chiefs, and the worst fears for Cleveland have now been confirmed. Grant will be out for the entire 2023 season with a ruptured patellar tendon, according to Ian Rapoport.
It's a crushing blow for Grant, who missed all of the 2022 season after suffering a torn Achilles in training camp with the Browns. A little less than a year removed from that major injury, Grant has now suffered another that will cost him the season.
Grant, 30, had previously spent 5 seasons with the Miami Dolphins before being acquired by the Chicago Bears in 2021. Grant signed a 3-year contract worth $10 million with the Cleveland Browns and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
Jakeem Grant has been one of the league's premier special teams players, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. Grant is 8th on the active list in kick return yardage and 6th in punt return yardage. Over his career, he's compiled 100 receptions for 1,140 yards and 7 touchdowns as a receiver, in addition to 6 career touchdowns as a kick/punt returner.
The Browns may have already found Grant's replacement on special teams in a trade with the New England Patriots when they acquired running back Pierre Strong Jr. from the New England Patriots for offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr.
Strong, a 4th round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is expected to battle with Jerome Ford for the backup duties behind star running back Nick Chubb. Strong may also end up returning kicks for the Browns after Jakeem Grant's injury, as he briefly did that for New England (five kick returns) last season as a rookie.