Is that Rive Cracraft’s music in the distance?
The Odell Beckham Jr. experience in South Florida was a disappointment. The three-time Pro Bowler caught nine passes for 55 yards while appearing in nine games — a stat line that’s still hard to believe days after the Miami Dolphins and Beckham chose to part ways.
He’s caught nine of 18 targets — including just two of six over the last three games. Beckham played a season-low 10 snaps against the New York Jets and has only played more than 25% of the team’s offensive snaps once.
The 2014 first-round pick was projected to be the missing piece of a receiving group featuring Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but tight end Jonnu Smith has been the one to power the offense, setting career-highs in receptions (61) and receiving yards (692). Beckham’s role never developed, but here are three things that may happen following his departure from the Dolphins:
Add Grant Dubose to the active roster
Miami opened Dubose’s practice window on Wednesday and he was limited in practice throughout the week. The Dolphins placed him on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury he suffered against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2.
“I think Grant is ready, but there’s other things at play so we’ll sift through that,” coach Mike McDaniel said Friday. “But I was very happy with him meeting what my expectation was throughout the week.”
There’s an open spot on the active roster following Beckham’s release but McDaniel may be waiting to see if linebacker Bradley Chubb is ready to be activated from injured reserve before filling the roster spot elsewhere.
Green Bay Packers selected Dubose in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He’s caught one of three targets since joining the Dolphins following training camp but at 6’2”, 201 pounds, he adds another dimension to the offense and can boost the special teams unit, too.
Integrate River Cractaft into the offense
Cracraft missed the season’s first nine games due to a preseason shoulder injury and has only played 35 snaps across four games since his return. He played nine snaps on Thanksgiving against the Packers and was inactive last week against the Jets.
While Cracraft hasn’t played more than 24 snaps since Week 1 of the 2023 season, his willingness and ability to block downfield adds a dimension Miami lacked with Beckham in the lineup. A surehanded receiver, Cracraft has knowledge of the offense and has brought in 18 of 26 targets in his first two seasons with the Dolphins.
Build on Malik Washington’s already growing role
Washington has caught 10 of 16 targets for 54 yards and has carried the ball four times for 36 yards and a touchdown — not bad for a sixth-round rookie considering Beckham’s inconsistencies this season. Despite a fumble against Green Bay, Washington bounced back last week with a big-time kick returner against the Jets.
He played a season-best 30 offensive snaps last week and will likely see even more opportunities with Beckham out of the mix.
“One of the reasons we felt so good about adding him to the team and one of the reasons we felt confident that he was ready for an NFL game is simply by his play style,” McDaniel said. “He might have the best balance on the team. He’s right there with De’Von [Achane] n that where he utilizes his low center of gravity and he’s a fearless player. He showed that over his college tape.
“It’s cool that people are starting to take notice of something that was the reason he was here in the first place.”
