Fuller, Ezukanma Highlight Dolphins Saturday Moves

Cornerback Kendall Fuller's first season with the Dolphins has ended because of an injury

Miami Dolphins cornerback Kendall Fuller (29) works out during a joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Amid the big news involving QB Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins made a series of roster moves ahead of their Week 17 game against the Cleveland Browns.

The two most significant involved placing cornerback Kendall Fuller on injured reserve and signing wide receiver Erik Ezukanma to the active roster after he spent the whole season on the practice squad.

Additionally, the Dolphins elevated QB Skylar Thompson and DB Nik Needham from the practice squad.

While the reason for the Thompson move is obvious, Needham's elevation is insurance in case starting safety Jordan Poyer can't play after being listed as questionable because of knee and finger injuries.

Elijah Campbell likely would start at safety next to Jevon Holland if Poyer can't play, with Needham serving as a backup.

FULLER'S FIRST MIAMI SEASON

Signed in the offseason to replace veteran Xavien Howard, Fuller had a pretty solid season for the Dolphins, even if his metrics (97.7 opponent passer rating when targeted per Pro Football Reference) weren't great.

He will finish the season having missed six games because of two concussions and the knee injury that now landed him on injured reserve.

Fuller technically could return this season, but it couldn't happen until the AFC Championship Game and that's clearly not very realistic at this point.

Fuller signed a two-year contract with the Dolphins in March and will carry a cap number of about $8 million in 2025 with no more guaranteed money. It's not a huge cap number for a solid starting cornerback, so there's no reason to think the Dolphins necessarily would want to move on from him.

ERIK EZUKANMA GETS ANOTHER SHOT

Signing to the 53-man roster is a big step for Ezukanma, who has shown flashes but has had some adversity since being the team's fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

Ezukanma stayed on the practice squad this year while the team was signing a veteran at the end of his career (Robbie Chosen) and giving a reclamation project (Dee Eskridge) another shot.

Ezukanma played seven offensive snaps in the 29-17 victory against the San Francisco 49ers last weekend and could get even more playing time with Eskridge, Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill all listed as questionable for the Cleveland game.

The Dolphins now have six wide receivers on the active roster, with the other two being rookie sixth-round pick Malik Washington and veteran River Cracraft.

"I think he's done an exceptional job as far as really kind of honing in on the offense," wide receivers coach Wes Welker said this week. "He was very good (last) Sunday when he was in there and all those limited snaps and everything. He did a really nice job and continued to grow in that aspect and never getting too comfortable with it or anything like that, but continued to press on. Just because you have one good play one time or whatever it is, you can never get too high, never get too low, and kind of stay that steady pace of consistency."