Jakeem Grant – May 21, 2019
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Tuesday, May 21, 2019
WR Jakeem Grant
(Was your workload kind of the same today or were you able to get some good reps in?) – “I get great reps in. I take a few reps every period. But (I’m) just limited, just being smart. (I’m) not trying to overdo it and not trying to go out there and have a setback. (I’m) just going out here and being smart because we don’t have a game in two weeks.”
(Obviously it’s May, but are you itching kind of to get back out there or is it just kind of chomping at the bit a little bit wanting to get out there?) – “I’ll tell you, I hate watching. I hate watching. It’s like I always ask the trainers and the coaching staff, ‘Let’s do more, let’s do more.’ And in the back of my mind, I’m like, ‘I have to be smart as well.’ But I’m hungry. I didn’t get to finish the season. I felt like I was having a good season and so I’m just hungry now and I’m itching to get back with the guys and get back going full go.”
(What was the sense of relief knowing it wasn’t the Achilles, which everyone kind of feared it might have been?) – “It was a big relief because I’ve seen a lot of guys that, some guys don’t come back from it. With that being my first injury, it kind of messed with me mentally; but I’m over that mental hump and I’m just ready to go, ready to get back rolling with the team so I can provide for the team as good as I can.”
(What is the pain level, at all, out there right now?) – “The pain level, I actually don’t have any pain. I’d say it’s more stiffness, just getting warmed up. It takes a longer time to warm up than it normally did; but the pain level is all gone and I’m just ready to get rolling.”
(In the grand scheme of things, just being able to take part in any kind of OTAs, how big is that for you?) – “It’s very big. Just with them just allowing me to go out there and just do a couple of plays a series, just to get some trust in with the quarterbacks and with the receivers and with the new coaches, and just to show them that I’m still working up to be that guy for you guys so you can trust. And also just being smart at the same time.”
(How long is that transition process, not only for you, but for a lot of the receivers out there to learn a new quarterback, such as QB Josh Rosen or QB Ryan Fitzpatrick?) – “It takes a couple of weeks for the quarterbacks to get your speed (and) how quick you are in and out of the cuts. But I feel like ‘Fitz’ and Rosen, I feel like those guys are getting a good beat on how we break and how our movement is and just getting a great development of all receivers and just playing to our favor.”
(What goes into the push-ups that we saw? How does the unit know when it is their time to do that?) – “Defense, I think they do push-ups every, if we score in the red zone, because it’s hard to stop teams in the red zone. But they do a push-up every single time and then usually on the last play of that series, the winners don’t do push-ups, the loser does push-ups. It’s just to get the competition level high so we can talk trash a little bit and just make people do push-ups and just give us that momentum.”
(I notice you guys also have been running from drill to drill. How different is that? What do you think is the philosophy on that?) – “Coach (Flores) always harps on we’re going to be the most conditioned team in the league and I feel like he’s really pushing that. He got onto me one time. He was like, ‘Jakeem, what are you doing? Are you walking?’ I’m like, ‘No sir, no sir. I’m not walking.’ I also looked back at him to make sure he’s not walking. (laughter) And he gives me a little chuckle. I mean, he’s going to keep pushing that we’re going to be the most conditioned team in the league and I’m all for it. It’s hot out here and we get to play into our favor. People have to come play down here, and what he’s doing, I love it.”
(Last week, QB Josh Rosen joked that he kind of stumbled into a wide receiver meeting. Does he or even QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, do they ever sit in on meetings with you guys to try to acclimate themselves to you guys?) – “Yeah, there’s a couple of times that they came in and just gave us pointers on what they think we should do and just on checks and stuff and adjustments that they see on the field. I love when they come in there because we get to joke around with those guys. They have a great sense of humor, as well. But when they come into the room, it’s just like when a coach is talking. When they’re talking, we’re listening.”
(Who is funnier?) – “I’d have to give it to ‘Fitz.’ He’s a veteran guy that’s got a lot of years behind his belt. He’s been around. He’s just an overall goofball and then when we get out here and it’s time to be serious, he’s serious. But he’s a funny guy.”
(Which quarterback do you like more?) – “I like them both equally. I think both of those guys are great guys. (They are) definitely different personalities; but I love them both.”
(Forgive me if you answered this before I got here, but what percentage would you say you are health-wise?) – “I wouldn’t say a percentage. I would say I’m definitely not 100 percent. I feel like I’m working each and every day to get better and I just want to get to where I don’t have to think about if I’m worried about playing on my Achilles or am I worried about jumping off my left foot or anything like that. Every day is a stepping stone.”
(Considering the injury and everything else that you’ve gone through, how big is this season going to be for you? What’s kind of your thought process going into it?) – “This is bag season for me. I feel like last year, I kind of made a big name for myself in the return game. I feel like I’m going to continue to push a name for me in the return game. I want to be the best returner in the league and I want to be one of the top receivers in the league. So I’m going to continue to go out there and play as I am, the best (I can) at everything. I’m hungry because last year was cut short for me. I don’t have (any) regrets about it. I feel like that was an injury waiting to happen and I feel like I’m glad that it happened because now I’m going to come back stronger and faster and better. This season is very important to me because also we have a new coaching staff, a great coaching staff, with new guys and I just want to set a tone for the whole team and just show them that they can depend on me and that I’m one of the guys that they can have long-term.”
(This past week, there was an ESPN analyst who went through the Dolphins’ schedule and gave the Dolphins a loss for every single game. That seems unrealistic. When you heard that, what did you think?) – “I actually didn’t hear it until now. But to the analyst, I really appreciate it. I love being the underdog. I’ve been an underdog my whole life. So whenever we go into a place or into a game expecting to lose and we win, it just makes it that much sweeter. I’m happy that they’re counting us out because once we win, that smack in the face is an unbelievable feeling.”
(What gear have you tried in your running during your rehab? Are you up to second gear on your running? Or are you really taking it easy?) – “I can get up to full gear. I’m still, with the injury and with me not being 100 percent, I can still easily run past guys. I feel like each and every day is a stepping stone. I’m going to continue to rehab, get better and be smart at practice.”
