Browns’ Jakeem Grant out for season with torn Achilles

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The Cleveland Browns lost a key member of their special teams this week. Return specialist and wideout Jakeem Grant tore his Achilles on Tuesday and will miss the entire 2022 season, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Grant signed a three-year deal with Cleveland this offseason after spending the 2021 season with the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins following five years with the Dolphins. Grant made his first Pro Bowl in 2021 as a return specialist after he averaged 11.9 yards per punt and 23.4 yards per kickoff. He also caught 11 receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns this past season.

“I really feel awful for Jakeem,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said in a statement Wednesday. “We’ve witnessed how hard the young man has worked since he got to our team. We all realize injuries are a part of our game, but that doesn’t make it any easier to accept especially for someone that works as hard and carries himself like Jakeem.”

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A big week for NFL teams

This week also signals a shift for NFL teams as they head into the 2022 season.

No, we’re not talking about the first episode of this season’s “Hard Knocks” featuring Dan Campbell, Jamaal Williams and the Detroit Lions.

Between Thursday and Sunday, all 32 teams will play a preseason game and begin to coalesce as a unit. And with that come more important practices in the lead-up to some player’s first on-field action since January.