Jakeem Grant’s injury is a back breaker for a receiver corp in desperate need of help

Jakeem Grant’s injury will surely hurt the Cleveland Browns

Jakeem Grant had impressed a lot of people with the Cleveland Browns as both a returner and a receiver. He was quickly seen as a possible fourth receiver for the Browns, and with the team looking at doing more spread sets this year to capitalize on Deshaun Watson’s skills, a fourth receiver is incredibly important.

Yet, Grant, a two-time Pro Bowler as a return man, suffered a devastating ankle injury that many believed was an Achilles tear. This is a type of injury that often ends players’ careers, especially those in the NFL.

Grant is now on the IR and the Browns are now looking to see who can fill his absence in the offense and as a return man. Originally, his arrival meant a doom and gloom future for either Anthony Schwartz or Demetric Felton, but now it appears both second-year players have a shot at making the team after all.

The Cleveland Browns will likely lean heavily on Anthony Schwartz and Demetric Felton to fill the role of Jakeem Grant

I will be pleasantly surprised if Grant ever plays another down of football again. That’s how bad these types of injuries can be. Especially at his age. His injury opens up an opportunity for Schwartz and Felton to step up and earn a spot on the team in 2022.

Schwartz is the faster option but Felton has more shiftiness with his movement.

The problem comes that one of these guys could end up earning both that fourth-receiver spot and the return-man spots for both punts and kick return. If either one were to do that, then the other may still find themselves on the way out of the team.

What’s most likely to happen, is that the team trades Kareem Hunt and keeps Felton at running back while having him return punts, and having Schwartz compete for the fourth receiver spot and return kicks.

Granted, that’s just best case scenario and anything can still happen.