The Miami Dolphins raised some eyebrows when the news broke that the team was handing out a significant contract extension to wide receiver Jakeem Grant — the diminutive pocket rocket receiver who has made more of a splash in the special teams department than he has on offense thus far. But the vision for Grant appears clear, he’ll continue to be a dynamic return threat and hopefully further grow into a prominent receiving role in Miami’s offense.
The Dolphins are apparently quite confident in their ability to get more out of Grant — and that doesn’t go unnoticed from the newly extended Dolphin.
“Man, it’s truly an honor. Just for them to have the faith in me and saying that, ‘you’re one of our key guys and we want you here for the long term,’ it just brings joy to my heart,” said Grant on Sunday.
“It just makes me want to go out there and play even harder, and it’s a big relief of just saying now the weight is not on my shoulders anymore.”
This is the kind of positive reinforcement the Dolphins can instill with their players — the trust that if you play well in Miami, the team will want to keep you here and make sure you’re taken care of. From this perspective, Grant’s acknowledgement of the Dolphins’ extension serves as positive momentum in the team’s new initiative.
It also serves as to why the Dolphins are looking for the kind of players that they are. Money does make life a lot easier, but those who are motivated to play hard before they’re paid and even harder after they’ve been paid — as Grant alludes to — will further motivate the Dolphins to lock them in place long-term.
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