Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jakeem Grant will be sidelined for the second consecutive season due to an injury, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. Grant, who signed with the Browns in 2022, has yet to play in a regular season game for the team after suffering injuries during the preseason. Last year, he suffered an Achilles tear that kept him out for the entire 2022 season, and now he has ruptured his patellar tendon during a preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The injury will require Grant to undergo surgery, leaving him unable to participate in the upcoming regular season. Coach Stefanski expressed his disappointment for the player, noting Grant's strong work ethic and resilience in coming back from previous injuries. He had been expected to be the team's starting kick and punt returner, but now those duties may be split between Donovan Peoples-Jones and Jerome Ford.

Stefanski mentioned that they have internal candidates for the returner role but will also consider external options. This setback is another blow for Grant, who had been a solid contributor on special teams for the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins before joining the Browns. In 2021, he was named to the Pro Bowl after being traded to the Bears midway through the season.

Despite the unfortunate news regarding Grant, there was some positive development for the Browns. Marquise Goodwin, who had been on the non-football injury list due to blood clots in his lungs and legs, has been cleared to return after missing training camp.

Grant's injury during the game against the Chiefs left the team concerned as he was carted off the field. It is feared that he may have suffered a broken patella, which would rule him out for the entire 2023 season. The 5-foot-7, 171-pound specialist will undergo an MRI exam to confirm the extent of the injury. Grant signed a three-year, $10 million deal with the Browns in 2022 but has yet to play a regular-season game for the team.

Grant's former Texas Tech teammate, Patrick Mahomes, showed support for him by embracing him as he was being taken to the locker room. Coach Stefanski mentioned that Donovan Peoples-Jones and Jerome Ford could temporarily take over punt and kick-return duties, respectively.

Throughout his career, Grant has been known for his success as a return specialist, with four punt returns for touchdowns and two kickoff returns for scores. He has also contributed as a receiver, with 100 career receptions for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns. Grant was traded to the Bears in 2021, with the Dolphins receiving a 2023 sixth-round pick in return.

The Browns, who finished fourth in the AFC North last season with a 7-10 record, are hoping for quarterback Deshaun Watson to lead them to the playoffs. Watson, who signed a record-breaking five-year, $230 million contract in 2022, was suspended for 11 games due to accusations of sexual misconduct made by multiple massage therapists.