Tag: Erik Ezukanma

Dolphins WR Erik Ezukanma cleared to play after neck injury

Miami’s 2022 fourth-round pick has been cleared to return to action.

The Miami Dolphins are in serious need of depth at wide receiver this offseason, as Cedrick Wilson Jr., Braxton Berrios, Robbie Chosen and Chase Claypool are all set to be unrestricted free agents when the new league year starts.

Luckily for Miami, they’ll be getting back one of their wideouts who missed most of last season – Erik Ezukanma.

Ezukanma, 24, was a fourth-round pick of the Dolphins back in 2022 following a collegiate career at Texas Tech that included one Second-team All-Big 12 season (2021) and one First-team All-Big 12 season (2020).

Just two games into Ezukanma’s second year in the league, he was placed on the non-football injury list due to a neck injury that the receiver had actually suffered in college.

The last update we heard was from Ezukanma’s positional coach Wes Welker, who had said back in November that he still hadn’t been cleared after the wideout shared his desires to play on social media.

That was until the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reported on Thursday that Ezukanma’s injuries were not considered career-threatening and that he had been cleared to return to football action.

The former Red Raiders hasn’t made a huge impact yet in his NFL career (one reception for three yards), but he seemed to be carving out a role as a hybrid running back/wide receiver last year before being placed on the NFI list.

With many of the roster spots up in the air, 2024 might be his best opportunity to carve out a role for himself in South Florida.

Grading the Dolphins wide receivers after their 2023 season

A look at Miami’s wideouts, and the year they had in 2023.

The Miami Dolphins finished their 2023 campaign with an 11-6 record and made the postseason for the second time in as many years under head coach Mike McDaniel. Unfortunately, it came to an end with a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild-card round.

While other teams are in the midst of their playoff run, it’s time to do some reflecting on the team in South Florida.

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be reviewing and evaluating different positions for the Dolphins in 2023. Today, we’ll look at the wide receivers.

Dolphins WR Erik Ezukanma says he ‘wants to play football’

The wideout wants to return to action.

Before the Miami Dolphins Week 4 battle with the Buffalo Bills, the team surprisingly placed wide receiver Erik Ezukanma on the non-football injury list.

At the time, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel mentioned that they were checking on an injury that Ezukanma had in college during his time at Texas Tech which resulted in his placement on the list.

It’s been two months since then, and there hasn’t been much talk about the former Red Raider’s status. McDaniel’s last update came in October when he said the process was still going.

UPDATE: On Thursday, wide receivers coach Wes Welker said he still hasn’t been cleared to get on the field.

Ezukanma shared his feelings on the situation on social media this week.

When his teammate, Tyreek Hill, responded, Ezukanma shared a little video from Miami’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Dolphins have a lot of depth at the position, so they don’t necessarily need Ezukanma right now, but it would be nice to see what the 2022 fourth-round pick can do.

Hopefully, he’ll be back on the field soon making plays in aqua and orange, but Miami only has one designation to return to use after they used their seventh on running back Chris Brooks on Wednesday.

Dolphins place River Cracraft on IR, Erik Ezukanma on NFI

Both players will miss at least four games.

As the Miami Dolphins prepare for their Week 4 matchup with the Buffalo Bills, they have lost two players for some significant time.

The team announced on Friday that they’ve placed wide receiver River Cracraft on injured reserve and wide receiver Erik Ezukanma on the non-football injury list.

Cracraft went down with a shoulder injury during last week’s win over the Denver Broncos, and McDaniel had mentioned this outcome was a possibility after they got more information, so it’s not a total surprise.

The Ezukanma situation is a bit stranger, as McDaniel mentioned that they were checking on an injury that he had in college during his time at Texas Tech. He’s been on the injury report this week with a neck injury.

Both players will now be forced to miss at least four weeks.

Mike McDaniel announced three Dolphins are OUT vs. Bills

Two wideouts and a linebacker will sit this one out.

The Miami Dolphins are preparing to take on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Highmark Stadium, but they’ll be without three solid contributors.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel revealed that linebacker Jaelan Phillips and wide receivers Erik Ezukanma and River Cracraft will not play this weekend.

Phillips is dealing with an oblique injury, and he’ll likely be replaced by Andrew Van Ginkel, who previously filled in for the former first-round pick against the New England Patriots.

Ezukanma and Cracraft are two of Miami’s depth options behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Their absence means Braxton Berrios will be more involved, and there’s a strong possibility that Robbie Chosen is elevated from the practice squad, as he was last week.

This game was already going to be difficult for the Dolphins, and things have gotten even tougher.

Dolphins WR Erik Ezukanma compares himself to an All-Pro wideout in his new role

Those are large cleats to fill.

After a disappointing rookie season, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Erik Ezukanma has carved out a role for himself in Mike McDaniel’s offense in 2023.

Last year, after being selected in the fourth round out of Texas Tech, Ezukanma found himself buried in a deep position room, resulting in just 10 offensive snaps for the former Red Raider.

Now, following a full season and two offseasons of work, Ezukanma has taken on an apparent hybrid role as a wide receiver and a running back.

In the preseason, the 23-year-old rushed twice for 52 yards, and in the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, he recorded another two carries for 17 yards.

While his two preseason carriers had come on end-arounds, one of Ezukanma’s carries against the Chargers came from out of the backfield, which have some, including the wide receiver himself, thinking of San Francisco’s Deebo Samuel.

“I’ve watched Deebo since I was in college, the way he plays, breaking tackles,” Ezukanma told the Miami Herald. “I feel we play similar. With me adding [running the ball] to my arsenal, I feel it will definitely be a help to watch more of his tape and highlights.”

In 2021, with now-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as his offensive coordinator, Samuel had a career-high 59 rushing attempts, which was a drastic jump from his previous high of just 14.

The versatile weapon rushed for 365 yards (6.2 yards per attempt) and found the end zone eight times on his way to his lone All-Pro season. Samuel followed that year up by rushing for 232 yards and three touchdowns on 5.5 yards per attempt in 13 games.

While some may have an issue playing out of position, Ezukanma just wants to be on the field and help out his team.

“It’s awesome always to touch the rock,” he said. “I feel with the ball in my hands, I’m able to give the team one of the best chances to make plays and score touchdowns.”

If Ezukanma can produce the way Samuel has, which would be a tremendous ask, it would be hard for any team to stop this offense when healthy.

For now, it’s just nice to see the fourth-round pick make an impact when he’s on the field.

Dolphins’ 2023 training camp preview: WR Erik Ezukanma

Miami needs to see some improvement from the second-year wideout.

The Miami Dolphins have wrapped up their rookie minicamp, organized team activities and mandatory minicamps and will return to the Baptist Health Training Complex near the end of July to prepare for the 2023 regular season.

Before that, we’ll be going through the majority of Miami’s roster to preview their background, projected role and bottom line with the team entering training camp.

After looking at some quarterbacks, running backs and five receivers, we’ll move on to a second-year wideout who will be trying to earn playing time before the start of the regular season – Erik Ezukanma.

Brother of Dolphins WR commits to Oklahoma

Both play wideout.

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Football is often a family affair, as there seem to be many connections through the bloodlines in the sport.

This is no different for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Erik Ezukanma, who was drafted by the team in the fourth round of the 2022 draft after a collegiate career at Texas Tech.

Ezukanma’s brother, Dozie, is set to graduate from Timber Creek High School in Fort Worth, Texas next year. Still, he’s already committed to play college football for head coach Brent Venables at the University of Oklahoma.

The elder of the two took to social media to congratulate his brother.

According to 24/7 Sports, the younger Ezukanma also had offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Miami, Missouri, North Texas, Oregon, Purdue, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas State and Texas Tech.

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WR Erik Ezukanma working to earn a role in 2023 Dolphins’ offense

He’ll have to really impress.

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As the Miami Dolphins work through their mandatory minicamp sessions, the battle for depth wide receiver spots continues.

Miami’s offense boasts a number of talented weapons, and the receiver room holds the majority of them. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are the impressive tandem at the top of the depth chart that recorded over 3,000 yards combined last season.

Behind them, veterans Braxton Berrios, Robbie Chosen (formerly Robbie Anderson) and Cedrick Wilson Jr. are expected to be the next three with varying roles.

However, a true first-world problem that the Dolphins have is that the depth goes beyond that. River Cracraft, Erik Ezukanma, Freddie Swain, Braylon Sanders, Chris Coleman and Daewood Davis are all fighting for a potential sixth spot on the active roster or practice squad jobs.

Ezukanma, Miami’s fourth-round selection out of Texas Tech in 2022, recorded just one reception for three yards as a rookie in his lone game on the gameday roster.

On Tuesday, head coach Mike McDaniel spoke about the former Red Raider and his progress heading into this second year.

“I challenged him – I was on the phone with him before this offseason, just checking in on how he was doing just knowing that it was going to be a big year,” McDaniel said. “You go zero to 60. You know, he did get active at the very end of the season, but for the most part, it almost feels like a redshirt year for him. Which it’s not. You have to learn a ton and he knew that we have a very talented receiving corps. So he had no – all those learning lumps that really every rookie incurs, but specifically wide receivers that are hearing huddles for the first time.

“He knew he’s was going to have to be on his stuff at not just one but multiple positions. And he’s probably made the biggest gains from last year to this year and ownership of the offense. So what that does; that allows him the opportunity to try to carve out a specific role for himself because otherwise he wouldn’t have a shot. There’s too many – specifically the receiving corps that he’s practicing within is competitive and deep with bona fide NFL players that I’ve been around so the challenge is real, but he’s put himself in a position to really compete for opportunities which is – I’m happy for him as it stands and moving forward I can’t wait to see what he does.”

Making a name for yourself as a mid-round rookie is an extremely tough task, especially within a group that’s already well-established. Now, that’s he had a full year to adjust to the game and learn McDaniel’s playbook, Ezukanma should be in a much better position to compete.

Still, that talent ahead of him may be too much. If Miami opts to hold six wideouts for the regular season, Ezukanma will likely be the last one.

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Pod of Miami Dolphins get in some offseason work together

The quarterback got his wideouts on the practice field.

While the coaches and front office personnel are focused on improving the roster for the start of the 2023 season, those who are already signed with the Miami Dolphins are working on improving before the year.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recently got his wide receiver together for some offensive work down in South Florida. Tagovailoa had the opportunity to throw to Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Erik Ezukanma and River Cracraft.

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The work with Waddle and Hill is important because they’re the top two receivers on the depth chart, and that’s who Tagovailoa will be on the field with most often.

However, for Ezukanma and Cracraft, two depth options at this point, this time in invaluable. If they can build chemistry with their quarterback, they can help secure themselves a spot on the active roster and even opportunities when it comes time for the regular season.

This is especially the case for Ezukanma, who was a fourth-round selection in last year’s draft. As a rookie, he played in only one game, recording one reception for three yards. His impact in his second season needs to be greater.

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