Grant learns from rookie mistakes
Return specialist works to show sure hands, consistency.
DAVIE — Jakeem Grant is a big enough man to admit the biggest problem he had last season was mental.
Grant may be one of the fastest return men in the NFL, capable of returning any punt 74 yards for a Miami Dolphins touchdown (as he did, against Tennessee) or any kickoff return 45 yards (as he did, against Seattle).
But both of those plays were early in the season. By the end of the season, Grant had fumbled four times, losing one, and had several other bobbles.
By the end of the season, Grant had less confidence in himself and it seemed those around him had some reason to doubt him, as well.
“At the start of the season I was catching them fine,” Grant said Tuesday, after an organized team activity. “All it took was that one drop to make me unsure. I was thinking so much. Oh, I hope I don’t drop one. This year I’m thinking I’m catching everything. No matter what. It’s the matter of having the confidence and the swagger on every play.”
Grant is only 5-foot-7, 172 pounds but lightning quick.
Dolphins associate head coach/special-teams coach Darren Rizzi has seen improvement in Grant’s comfort level with catching punts. It’s something Grant didn’t do at Texas Tech.
Grant vows to catch more than 1,000 punts this offseason, and he even asked Dolphins punter Matt Darr to fly to Texas to kick to him. Darr obliged.
“I texted Matt and asked him to come so I could get more comfortable catching it, no matter what the weather, no matter how windy,” Grant said. “If we have crazy wind it’s great that we did this. I’ve been consistently doing it over and over and getting more comfortable.”
Grant estimated he catches at least 90 percent of practice punts now.
“I felt like mentally I let it get to me,” Grant said of his rookie season. “When I dropped a punt in the game, I let it get to me. I was a rookie. I was trying to impress the coaches. Mentally I couldn’t get over the hump. This year I’m mentally ready.”
The Dolphins hope Grant can take a few more snaps at wide receiver this season, too. And he says working at both slot and outside receiver in camp is helping his overall approach to the position.
“I refer to myself as a receiver and a returner, “Grant said. “I’ve been like that this whole time. I caught 90 balls in college. I refer to myself as a receiver. Whatever they have for me I’m willing to take on. I just have to show them that they can rely on me.”
Backup QB could be a starter: Matt Moore knows he could be a starter if he left Miami. He won’t mention the teams, but looking around at who’s starting around the NFL, he sees some guys he could beat out.
But he doesn’t want to. Moore, soon to be 33, has survived multiple coaching changes with the Dolphins to hold his spot as Ryan Tannehill’s backup. He jumped in for Tannehill in December and helped Miami make the playoffs. He’s satisfied with that role and, more importantly, he’s happy in this organization.
“I think it’s natural to have thoughts that you’re capable of playing in this league,” he said. “But I’m happy with where I’m at. I’m in a great spot. I love my teammates and my coaches.”