Getty River Cracraft then of the San Francisco 49ers running away from a Dallas defender.
Though he didn’t begin his career with the San Francisco 49ers, journeyman wide receiver River Cracraft‘s NFL career has largely been defined by his tenure playing under Kyle Shanahan in the Bay Area.
A two-year performer who signed with the team in 2020 and was extended for the 2021 season, Cracraft was waived in January of 2022 and signed on with the Miami Dolphin in February, less than two weeks after his offensive coordinator, Mike Daniel, joined the franchise as their new head coach. Working within a receiving corps that rapidly expanded in free agency and the draft thanks to the additions of Tyreek Hill and Erik Ezukanma, Cracraft struggled to make the 53-man roster coming out of camp but stuck around on the practice squad and was elevated in Weeks 1-3 to bolster Daniel’s pass-catching options.
With his practice squad elevation eligibility officially spent, the Dolphins had a decision to make – either sign Cracraft to the 53-man roster to keep him involved in their weekly gameplan, or look for another plan to soak up a dozen or so snaps per game.
Fortunately for Cracraft, Miami decided on the former, and the ex-Niner has secured himself a new, active roster contract for the remainder of the season. He earned his first appearance as an active roster performer in Week 4, and while he didn’t secure a catch on his lone target, Cracraft will have ample opportunities to secure more moving forward.
River Cracraft Took The Long Way To The San Francisco 49ers
An undrafted free agent from Washington State, Cracraft initially began his career behind the eight ball due to a knee injury that would keep him out of training camp. He got his first taste of NFL action via a tryout with the New England Patriots but ultimately failed to secure a contract. He then tried out for the Broncos and ultimately landed on the practice squad but was waived and then re-signed later in the season.
From there, Cracraft signed a futures deal with the Broncos and played a decent enough role in 2018 elevated from the practice squad, amassing one catch for 44 yards as a receiver, three kick returns for 43 yards, and 13 punt returns for 40 yards over his eight games on the active roster. Cracraft again tried to make the Broncos in 2019 and did sign with the team in September after being released coming out of camp, but he was waived at the end of the month and would remain unsigned until December, when he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad.
Cracraft tried to make the Eagles’ active roster in 2020, but he was ultimately waived in April thanks to the additions of Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins in the draft. After trying out for the Arizona Cardinals in August, Cracraft ultimately landed in San Francisco, where he ended up on the 49ers’ practice squad.
River Cracraft’s Success In SF Parlayed Into An Opportunity In Miami
Cracraft saw his first on-field action for the Niners in Week 8 of the 2022 NFL season, when he was elevated from the practice squad to play against the Seattle Seahawks. He was elevated again in Week 9 and ultimately secured a spot on the active roster in time for Week 10, where he dual embraced the role of part-time receiver and full(er) time special teams ace.
Over the remainder of the 2020 NFL season, Cracraft logged 112 snaps on offense, 116 on special teams, and found the greatest overall success of his career, including six catches for 41 yards on offense, five punt returns for 40 yards as a return man and a solo tackle for good measure, too. Cracraft filled a similar role in 2021 as well, again beginning the season on the practice squad before being elevated to the active roster, but because of his limited action, his numbers didn’t quite match up. When the season came to an end, Cracraft was waived and ultimately landed in Miami, where he’s now a member of the Dolphins’ 53-man roster.