Bears trade for Miami receiver, return specialist Jakeem Grant

LAKE FOREST – The Bears are adding a return specialist.

The team has traded for Miami Dolphins receiver and special teams return man Jakeem Grant. The news was first reported by the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Bears are exchanging a 2023 sixth-round draft pick for Grant, per Pelissero.

Grant, a sixth-year pro, has spent his entire career in Miami. The Dolphins drafted him in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. This season, Grant has returned eight punts and two kickoffs for the Dolphins. He has played sparingly on offense.

In a corresponding move, the Bears released return specialist Nsimba Webster, who had been the team’s primary punt returner. Running back Khalil Herbert has been serving as kick returner. With running back David Montgomery suffering a knee injury in Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions, Herbert could potentially see more action at running back in the coming weeks.

There still is no official word on how long Montgomery could be out. It could be as much as four or five weeks, according to a report from ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

If that’s the case, and Herbert needs to take more reps at running back, the Bears will likely want someone else returning kickoffs. That could present an opportunity for Grant. With Webster released, the punt return job also appears to be his for the taking.

The move could also indicate that the Bears don’t expect running back Tarik Cohen back any time soon. Cohen has been out for more than a year since tearing his ACL in Week 3 of 2020. Cohen currently is on the physically unable to perform list, which means he will be out through at least Week 6, but could be out longer.

For his career, Grant is averaging 24.3 yards a kick return with two touchdowns on 89 career kick returns. He has returned 101 punts for an average of 9.7 yards a return with three touchdowns.

The Bears added depth at running back by signing Artavis Pierce to the practice squad. Pierce spent a good portion of 2020 on the Bears’ 53-man roster, appearing in five games. To make room for Pierce, the team released practice squad linebacker Rashad Smith.