Grant hopes for many more happy returns with Bombers

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This article was published 19/09/2019 (2214 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Janarion Grant didn’t last in the NFL, and for awhile, it looked like he wouldn’t cut it in the CFL either.

The returner/receiver from Rutgers, who had eight return touchdowns in his five-year college career with the Scarlet Knights, began the 2018 season as the starting punt returner for the Baltimore Ravens.

The undrafted rookie quickly showed why he made the team, as he had a 51-yard punt return in a 47-3 beatdown over the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. He also showed the biggest knock on his game — ball security — as he also fumbled in his debut. You could maybe chalk that one up to first-game jitters, but in Week 2, Grant fumbled again. He also had a fumble in the pre-season.

The Ravens had seen enough, opting to release Grant before re-signing him to the practice roster. He didn’t see the field again.

Grant’s fumblitis forced him to take his talents up north this year. He started the season on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ practice roster before being released in mid-June.

One month later he got a call from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, after the club lost returner Charles Nelson to injury after four games. Grant’s first two weeks in Winnipeg were on the practice roster before he got a chance to showcase his skills in a game.

“I’m just blessed to have the opportunity to play here,” Grant said after Thursday’s practice at IG Field. “Some guys after a couple of cuts or whatnot, they might say they’re done and go into the workplace and have a regular job. But this is what I love to do. If I could play forever, I would.”

With the way Grant’s looked in his first five games with the Blue and Gold, the Bombers are also likely hoping he can play forever. The 5-10 Florida native burst onto the scene on Aug. 8 when he led the Bombers to a 26-24 home win over the Calgary Stampeders with two punt return touchdowns. A couple weeks later in the Banjo Bowl, Grant found the end zone again, scoring on a 72-yard punt return in the team’s 35-10 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Grant is the only returner in the league with more than one return touchdown this year. But Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said Grant’s game-breaking returns aren’t the only thing that’s impressed him.

“What you probably don’t pay attention to is how hard he blocks,” said O’Shea. “He makes sure that when he doesn’t have the ball, he’s gonna do more than just get in someone’s way. He’s going to get to a spot and make a block for the other returner. (It) just talks more about his character, his make-up. That’s the way he’s wired. He’s got good courage, too.”

Grant, 25, said taking pride in blocking is nothing new for him. It’s been a part of his arsenal for years.

“That’s what I did at Rutgers University. You know, going in at slot receiver, they think I’m small, but I play bigger, way bigger than what I look like. I only fear God. If I have to do my job, I’m going to try to do it the best I can. I was just blocking linebackers the whole time at Rutgers, so I got used to going against bigger guys.”

Grant leads the league in return touchdowns, but also average punt return yardage. Nobody is even close to Grant’s average of 21.4 yards per punt return. Ottawa Redblacks returner DeVonte Dedmon is in second place at 15.4. Grant also has one fumble, coughing up the ball up against the Calgary Stampeders, but has been held on tight in the four games since.

Does Grant think he can add to his league-leading return numbers on Saturday against the Montreal Alouettes at Molson Stadium?

“Most definitely,” said Grant. “We always have little cracks and everything to see what we can do at punt return, just being able to create space for me to be in the end zone at the end of the day.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31