There’s a feel-good piece on Corey Grant that’s making the rounds. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett says they’re going to get Grant on the field more often this year as a change-of-pace back.
"He's just a guy we've got to get out there,” says Hackett. “I'd love to put him out there because he's a major change-of-pace back.”
The article was written by Mike Kaye of First Coast News in Jacksonville.
The author points out the Jaguars tendered Grant at $2.91 million – the second-round level. That’s an indication that they’re very much interested in keeping him around. They probably could have kept him on a $1.9 million tender, but that would have involved taking on the risk of some other team coming in and making him a lucrative offer.
With those tender levels, recall the story of Cameron Meredith. The Bears wanted to retain him. With him coming off a serious knee injury, they figured they were safe putting the $1.9 million tender on him. But the Saints came along and signed Meredith to a two-year deal worth $10 million. Chicago thought about it for a week but decided not to match (the Bears would still have Meredith if they had initially protected him with the $2.91 million tender).
The Jaguars wanted to retain Grant badly enough that they didn’t want to risk a Meredith situation.
Grant has been with Jacksonville for three years. He’s played mostly special teams, but he’s made the most of his limited opportunities.
At the end of the 2016 season, other backs were hurt and Grant got to start at Indianapolis. He carried 18 times for 122 yards, with a 57-yard touchdown.
Last year he busted loose for a 58-yard run against Baltimore. He also scored a 56-yard touchdown on a fake punt against the Chargers (he received a direct snap when it appeared he was lined up to block). And when it looked like the Jaguars were going to upset the Patriots in the AFC Championship game, he made some plays, gaining 59 yards on 3 catches.
Grant has averaged 6.6 yards per carry over the last two years. That’s the most of every running back in the league (among those with at least 50 carries).
I’m not arguing that Grant is necessarily one of the top 40 running backs in the league but he can play. Leonard Fournette is the starter in Jacksonville, but if he were to get hurt, I would think the Jaguars were go to more of a one-two punch backfield, with Grant and T.J. Yeldon sharing time. I think Yeldon is the No. 2, but I’m not super confident he’ll be much better than Grant if Fournette misses some games.
| RUNNING BACKS, YARDS PER CARRY (2016-17) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
| Corey Grant | 62 | 412 | 6.6 | 4 |
| Alvin Kamara | 120 | 728 | 6.1 | 14 |
| Aaron Jones | 81 | 448 | 5.5 | 4 |
| Jalen Richard | 139 | 766 | 5.5 | 5 |
| Mark Ingram | 435 | 2167 | 5.0 | 22 |
| Kenyan Drake | 166 | 823 | 5.0 | 7 |
| Ty Montgomery | 148 | 730 | 4.9 | 7 |
| Chris Thompson | 132 | 650 | 4.9 | 11 |
| Kareem Hunt | 272 | 1327 | 4.9 | 11 |
| Bilal Powell | 309 | 1494 | 4.8 | 10 |
| Dion Lewis | 244 | 1179 | 4.8 | 10 |
| Dalvin Cook | 74 | 354 | 4.8 | 2 |
| Mike Gillislee | 205 | 960 | 4.7 | 14 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 564 | 2614 | 4.6 | 25 |
| LeSean McCoy | 521 | 2405 | 4.6 | 22 |
| Jordan Howard | 528 | 2435 | 4.6 | 16 |
| Devonta Freeman | 423 | 1944 | 4.6 | 21 |
| Terron Ward | 61 | 280 | 4.6 | 0 |
| Darren Sproles | 109 | 499 | 4.6 | 4 |
| Jay Ajayi | 469 | 2145 | 4.6 | 10 |
| Matt Jones | 104 | 474 | 4.6 | 3 |
| Duke Johnson | 155 | 706 | 4.6 | 8 |
| Alex Collins | 243 | 1098 | 4.5 | 7 |
| Isaiah Crowell | 404 | 1805 | 4.5 | 9 |
| Matt Breida | 105 | 465 | 4.4 | 3 |
| Cameron Artis-Payne | 54 | 239 | 4.4 | 3 |
| Fozzy Whittaker | 64 | 283 | 4.4 | 1 |
| Rex Burkhead | 138 | 608 | 4.4 | 10 |
| LeVeon Bell | 582 | 2559 | 4.4 | 20 |
| Kenneth Dixon | 88 | 382 | 4.3 | 3 |
| Corey Clement | 74 | 321 | 4.3 | 6 |
| Derrick Henry | 286 | 1234 | 4.3 | 11 |
| DeAndre Washington | 144 | 620 | 4.3 | 5 |
| Marshawn Lynch | 207 | 891 | 4.3 | 7 |
| Spencer Ware | 214 | 921 | 4.3 | 5 |
| Alfred Morris | 184 | 790 | 4.3 | 3 |
| Orleans Darkwa | 201 | 862 | 4.3 | 7 |
| Wayne Gallman | 111 | 476 | 4.3 | 1 |
| Ryan Mathews | 155 | 661 | 4.3 | 9 |
| Tarik Cohen | 87 | 370 | 4.3 | 3 |
| Kerwynn Williams | 138 | 583 | 4.2 | 3 |
| Rod Smith | 55 | 232 | 4.2 | 5 |
| Carlos Hyde | 457 | 1926 | 4.2 | 17 |
| D'Onta Foreman | 78 | 327 | 4.2 | 2 |
| Tevin Coleman | 274 | 1148 | 4.2 | 19 |
| Jacquizz Rodgers | 193 | 804 | 4.2 | 3 |
| Kapri Bibbs | 50 | 208 | 4.2 | 2 |
| David Johnson | 304 | 1262 | 4.2 | 20 |
| Jamaal Charles | 81 | 336 | 4.1 | 2 |
| Shane Vereen | 78 | 322 | 4.1 | 1 |
| Tim Hightower | 133 | 548 | 4.1 | 5 |
| James White | 82 | 337 | 4.1 | 8 |
| LeGarrette Blount | 472 | 1927 | 4.1 | 21 |
| DeMarco Murray | 477 | 1946 | 4.1 | 19 |
| C.J. Anderson | 355 | 1444 | 4.1 | 9 |
| Giovani Bernard | 196 | 795 | 4.1 | 7 |
| T.J. Yeldon | 179 | 718 | 4.0 | 4 |
| Alfred Blue | 171 | 682 | 4.0 | 2 |
| Latavius Murray | 411 | 1630 | 4.0 | 20 |
| Peyton Barber | 163 | 646 | 4.0 | 4 |
| Christine Michael | 148 | 583 | 3.9 | 8 |
| Todd Gurley | 557 | 2190 | 3.9 | 25 |
| Terrance West | 232 | 912 | 3.9 | 8 |
| Wendell Smallwood | 124 | 486 | 3.9 | 3 |
| Melvin Gordon | 538 | 2102 | 3.9 | 24 |
| Robert Kelley | 230 | 898 | 3.9 | 10 |
| Leonard Fournette | 268 | 1040 | 3.9 | 10 |
| Lamar Miller | 506 | 1961 | 3.9 | 12 |
| Javorius Allen | 162 | 625 | 3.9 | 6 |
| Eddie Lacy | 140 | 539 | 3.9 | 0 |
| Marlon Mack | 93 | 358 | 3.8 | 4 |
| Frank Gore | 524 | 1986 | 3.8 | 12 |
| Matt Forte | 321 | 1194 | 3.7 | 11 |
| Christian McCaffrey | 117 | 435 | 3.7 | 7 |
| Jeremy Hill | 259 | 955 | 3.7 | 9 |
| Damien Williams | 81 | 296 | 3.7 | 7 |
| Theo Riddick | 176 | 643 | 3.7 | 11 |
| Jamaal Williams | 153 | 556 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Jonathan Stewart | 416 | 1504 | 3.6 | 16 |
| Devontae Booker | 253 | 911 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Jerick McKinnon | 309 | 1109 | 3.6 | 9 |
| Chris Ivory | 229 | 821 | 3.6 | 5 |
| Elijah McGuire | 88 | 315 | 3.6 | 2 |
| Mike Tolbert | 101 | 361 | 3.6 | 2 |
| Paul Perkins | 153 | 546 | 3.6 | 0 |
| Ameer Abdullah | 183 | 653 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Zach Zenner | 102 | 360 | 3.5 | 5 |
| Malcolm Brown | 81 | 285 | 3.5 | 2 |
| Joe Mixon | 178 | 626 | 3.5 | 4 |
| DeAngelo Williams | 98 | 343 | 3.5 | 6 |
| Samaje Perine | 175 | 603 | 3.4 | 2 |
| Charcandrick West | 106 | 365 | 3.4 | 7 |
| Charles Sims | 72 | 244 | 3.4 | 3 |
| Justin Forsett | 87 | 291 | 3.3 | 1 |
| Mike Davis | 87 | 290 | 3.3 | 1 |
| Matt Asiata | 121 | 402 | 3.3 | 6 |
| Rashad Jennings | 181 | 593 | 3.3 | 4 |
| Jeremy Langford | 62 | 200 | 3.2 | 4 |
| Kenneth Farrow | 60 | 192 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Adrian Peterson | 193 | 601 | 3.1 | 2 |
| Robert Turbin | 70 | 217 | 3.1 | 9 |
| Thomas Rawls | 167 | 506 | 3.0 | 3 |
| Chris Johnson | 70 | 209 | 3.0 | 1 |
| Doug Martin | 282 | 827 | 2.9 | 6 |
| Dwayne Washington | 110 | 309 | 2.8 | 1 |
| Andre Ellington | 54 | 151 | 2.8 | 1 |
| Shaun Draughn | 74 | 196 | 2.6 | 6 |
| James Starks | 63 | 145 | 2.3 | 2 |
—Ian Allan