Dolphins’ Cracraft out. McDaniel addresses injuries, backup QB. And running back signed

Dolphins receiver River Cracraft, who had become perhaps Miami’s most reliable backup wide receiver, sustained an upper body injury in Saturday night’s preseason game against Washington and is expected to miss significant time.

Coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Cracraft, who caught a touchdown pass just before his injury on Saturday, will miss “some time for sure. It doesn’t appear to be season-ending.”

Cracraft was one of the Dolphins’ best players in training camp, and his loss with what appears to be a shoulder injury is hurtful. With Odell Beckham Jr. on the physically unable to perform list for at least another week, Miami is now in a precarious position behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who has been out more than a week with what McDaniel has called a minor injury.

Until Beckham returns, Braxton Berrios, Erik Ezukanma and Malik Washington would appears front-runners for the third through fifth jobs. McDaniel said Ezukanma “was really able to showcase his talents” with five catches for 65 yards against Washington.

The team could add another veteran receiver to the mix. Braylon Sanders (who is “week-to-week” with an injury, per McDaniel), Mike Harley Jr., Willie Snead IV, Kyric McGowan, Anthony Schwartz and JeQuan Burton are the team’s other receivers under contract.

McDaniel said Beckham won’t practice this week but added “there’s been progression every week. I’m not rushing the process. I’m not worrying about it. I know the intent is right on both sides. The intention is not having something holding him back once he gets on the field.”

If the Dolphins want to keep alive Cracraft’s chances of playing this season, he cannot be placed on injured reserve immediately. Per new league rules, a move to IR would need to happen next week, coinciding with the cut down from 90 to 53 players. Under the new rule, two players who are placed on IR during roster cut down are permitted to play again this season, as long as they miss at least four games.

Overall, a team can bring back eight players who have been placed on IR over the course of the season, as long as they miss four games.

“If there’s anyone equipped to handle adversity, it’s River Cracraft,” McDaniel said. “He’s worked his way to be a very good player in this league and that confidence will sustain. He did some real good things in the game.”

McDaniel offered updates on several players who were injured on Saturday.

Cornerback Cam Smith, who has a hamstring injury, is “week-to-week,” McDaniel said. “He did the most with his opportunities. He committed to things. He gave up plays that were learning lessons and made plays. Handled some adversity. There was growth there.”

Running back Chris Brooks is in concussion protocol.

Safety Jordan Poyer, who has missed two weeks with a thumb injury, will practice this week.

Linebacker David Long Jr., who sustained a hand injury on the first play of the game, is fine.

McDaniel addressed other issues Monday:

▪ His thoughts on the Skylar Thompson/Mike White backup quarterback battle: “I have history with both. Both have been able to win NFL games against good opponents in the regular season. Both have things about their game that I really like.”

McDaniel and his staff decided that “we needed to try to separate these guys doing something different. How can we appropriately find some distinction between the two?” As a result, the Dolphins have given second team snaps to one quarterback for several consecutive days, as opposed to alternating day to day.

“I’ve put them in a bunch of tough situations,” McDaniel said. “I will continue to do that this week and the next preseason game. They’ve both proven in years past to be quality backups. The approach I’ve taken is to create super difficult situations for both of them. I’m looking for conviction after a bad play happens, how you’re getting to the line of scrimmage and leading them.”

RUNNING BACK SIGNED

With Brooks in concussion protocol and Jeff Wilson Jr. (nose) sidelined, the Dolphins signed former Steelers running back Anthony McFarland, who had 42 carries for 146 yards (3.5 per carry) in 17 games through four seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers, from 2020 to 2023.

The 5-8, 193-pound McFarland was a Steelers’ fourth round pick out of Maryland in 2020.

A third Dolphins running back, Salvon Ahmed, has been dealing with a foot injury. Rookie Jaylen Wright has been dealing with a minor injury that sidelined him against Washington.

The Dolphins were forced to play receiver Burton at running back in the second half against Washington.

The Dolphins also signed former Colorado State linebacker Dequan Jackson, who spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this year but hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since producing 27 tackles for loss in five years at Colorado State. He was undrafted in 2022.

Monday afternoon update: The Dolphins cut Ahmed and made eight official roster moves. Please click here for details.