NFL Player News

Cracraft signed a contract with the Dolphins on Thursday, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports.

Cracraft was let go by the 49ers in late January but now will begin this offseason with the Dolphins. He appeared in 15 games for San Francisco over the past two seasons and saw most of his action on special teams, though he also caught six of nine targets for 41 yards.

Koski signed a reserve/future deal with the Rams on Tuesday.

Koski originally joined the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Cal Poly in 2020. The 25-year-old was with the active roster for five games this season, during which he handled punt and kick returns, but he never played a snap on offense. Koski will now focus on earning more opportunities next season.

Taylor reverted to the Bengals' practice squad Monday, per NFL's transaction log.

Taylor played eight total snaps (two on offense) and returned two punts for 28 yards during the Bengals' 23-20 loss to the Rams in the Super Bowl. The 2017 fifth-round pick was active for eight straight contests to end the season, including the postseason, and operated primary as the team's punt returner. However, he did catch a critical two-point reception during Cincinnati's comeback in the AFC Championship Game.

Metcalf recently had surgery to remove a screw from his left foot, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Metcalf told Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks that he had surgery shortly after the conclusion of the 2021 season and was on track to conclude his rehab process around mid-March. While he didn't specify, it's likely the screw he had removed in January initially was inserted back in 2016 when the wideout suffered a season-ending foot injury at Ole Miss. He missed a lot of practice time in 2021 with the left foot popping up as an issue again, but Metcalf doesn't think it had too much impact on his performance, nor does he sound especially worried about the rehab process impacting his preparation for 2022. He did have a disappointing 2021 campaign by most standards, albeit with a dozen touchdowns to soften the blow of 336 fewer receiving yards than the previous year.

Skowronek hauled in two of five targets for 12 yards in the Rams' win Sunday over the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

Skowronek saw career highs in snaps and targets, as Odell Beckham left late in the first half with an ACL injury. The rookie Skowronek played a limited role this season, compiling 11 receptions on 20 targets for 133 yards while operating as the Rams' No. 4 wideout on the depth chart. How big of a role Skowronek will have moving forward will largely depend on what happens with Beckham, as not only did he potentially suffer a significant injury during the Super Bowl, he also is set to be a free agent.

Beckham is believed to have suffered a torn ACL in Sunday's Super Bowl win over the Bengals, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

If the torn ACL is confirmed, Beckham will be looking at a lengthy recovery period as the 2022 NFL season approaches. The wideout, who turns 30 on Nov. 5, is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and given the timing of his injury, an early-season absence figures to be in the cards for Beckham, who recorded a 44-537-5 stat line in 14 regular season games (six with Cleveland, eight with Los Angeles) during the 2021 campaign.

Boyd recorded five receptions on six targets for 48 yards in Sunday's 23-20 Super Bowl LVI loss to the Rams.

Boyd delivered his best performance of the postseason in terms of both receptions and yards. As has been the case all season, he worked primarily underneath routes while both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins pushed further down the field. Boyd's longest catch of the day came early in the fourth quarter and went for a gain of 16 yards, though he also delivered an 11-yard reception in the first half. Overall, Boyd had his least productive season since 2017, and his role isn't likely to expand in 2022 with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins returning to the team.

Jefferson brought in four of eight targets for 23 yards during the Rams' 23-20 win over the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday.

The speedster came into the game still somewhat nursing a knee injury he'd suffered in the NFC Championship Game, and perhaps that played a role in his limited production even after Odell Beckham left the game for good in the second quarter due to his own knee issue. Jefferson was also the target on Matthew Stafford's first interception late in the first half, a ball that the Bengals' Jessie Bates came down with in the end zone. However, Jefferson's reception total actually tied him for second on the Rams for the night, and it qualified as his highest since Week 17. Looking ahead to the 2022 season, Jefferson will be aiming to build on the significant step forward he took during a sophomore campaign that saw him contribute a 50-802-6 line across 17 games.

Chase recorded five receptions on eight targets for 89 yards in Sunday's 23-20 Super Bowl LVI loss to the Rams.

Chase was overshadowed by Tee Higgins' two-touchdown performance, though he still delivered explosive plays of his own. He set up Cincinnati's first points of the game when he hauled in a 46-yard reception after beating Jalen Ramsey down the right sideline. Chase also added a 17-yard catch on the final drive of the game as the team was pushing down the field in an effort to attempt a game-tying field goal. Despite the disappointing loss, Chase was excellent throughout the postseason by topping 100 yards twice and posting five gains of 20 or more yards across four contests. He'll head into his second season as the primary big-play threat in the Bengals' offense while working opposite Higgins.

Higgins recorded four receptions on seven targets for 100 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 23-20 Super Bowl LVI loss to the Rams.

Higgins made the most of his four catches by tallying a pair of touchdowns in the biggest game of the season. The first came on a trick play that resulted in a six-yard pass from Joe Mixon in the back corner of the end zone. Higgins then added an explosive 75-yard touchdown on the first play of the second half when he beat Jalen Ramsey down the sideline and outraced the rest of the Rams' secondary to the end zone. He was largely quiet from there, as Joe Burrow was consistently pressured and the Bengals' offense struggled to produce as a result. Overall, Higgins delivered impressive results in his second professional season, and he will continue to be a dynamic performer working opposite Ja'Marr Chase in 2022.