It will be ‘all hands on deck’ to replace Grant in return game

DAVIE — The seasonending injury to Dolphins return specialist Jakeem Grant has sent special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi into a frienzied search for reliable punt and kick returners.

Receiver Danny Amendola is a logical option, because of his extensive experience returning 176 punts over the course of his 10-year career.

“Certainly Danny, from a punt return standpoint, has the most experience of all the guys we have on the roster, for sure,” Rizzi said.

A new kick returner, on the other hand, has been a little more difficult to figure out.

Running back Senorise Perry has returned six kicks for 134 yards this season, while lined up with Grant and rookie running back Kalen Ballage for kickoffs.

Running back Kenyan Drake could be the best option as a kickoff returner. He was in that role his first two seasons with the team, coming up with plays like his 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that sealed a victory against the New York Jets as a rookie in 2016.

But, Drake is a valuable asset to the Dolphins offense as the second-leading receiver with 33 catches while Frank Gore steers Miami’s rushing attack.

Drake has also been “an emergency punt return guy” during his three seasons with the Dolphins, Rizzi said.

Three other players were options Rizzi and the Dolphins considered in the return game during practice this week:

■ Receiver Kenny Stills, who returned punts in Oklahoma, but has not returned a punt or kick in the NFL.

■ Receiver Leonte Carroo, who Rizzi said has return experience, despite never returning a punt or kick at Rutgers or in the NFL.

■ Running back Brandon Bolden, who returned punts 10 years ago while at Ole Miss, but no punts or kicks in the NFL.

“Those are all guys that we’ve kind of flirted with a little bit this week and kind of look at to see what our best options are,” Rizzi said of the potential kick returners. “We’re going to kind of wait and see and kind of see what Friday brings and then kind of make a final decision on Saturday.”

Only six return touchdowns — three punts and three kicks — have been scored this season, and Grant is the only player to score one of each.

The Dolphins will surely miss Grant’s dynamic speed and elusiveness after he suffered a left leg injury against the Packers in Week 10.

“We’ll kind of have all hands on deck,” Rizzi said.