The Miami Dolphins got their first live look at a new-look roster built by general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, and the opening act was promising only in spots. The starters jumped out to a 7-0 lead, but once the game settled in, Washington took over and Miami never really recovered in the 20-7 loss.
There were a few clear bright spots, though, starting with Malik Willis. In his lone drive, the Dolphins’ starting quarterback pushed the offense 93 yards on 14 plays and finished it off with a one-yard touchdown run by De'Von Achane.
Willis looked calm, threw accurately, and did a solid job protecting himself on his two scrambles. That was the kind of clean start Miami needed from him.
Caleb Douglas also gave the Dolphins something to feel good about in his preseason debut. He only had one catch, but it was the kind of grab that sticks with you: a one-handed, acrobatic reception that backed up the belief the front office showed in him, even with plenty of people calling the pick a reach.
After Willis, the quarterback play got rough in a hurry. Quinn Ewers went just 1-for-8 and threw an interception after a miscommunication with his receiver.
Cam Miller wasn’t much better, completing 3 of 11 passes for 39 yards and tossing two interceptions. If there was any takeaway there, it was how much Miami would want to avoid losing Willis for any stretch of time.
The offensive line, at least in its brief run with the starters, held up well. J onah Savaiinaea and Kadyn Proctor looked strong as the new guard pairing, and that’s going to matter a lot if this offense is going to surprise anyone in 2026.
Defensively, the picture was mixed. Miami’s secondary had its shaky moments, but it didn’t look nearly as bad as it did during joint practice earlier in the week. Washington was without Jayden Daniels, and Marcus Mariota exited early with a knee injury, but the Commanders still finished with just 160 net passing yards on 27 attempts as a team.
The bigger issue was on the ground. Miami’s run defense got pushed around by rookie backs Kaytron "Fatman" Allen and Robert Henry Jr., who combined for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries. Allen kept grinding away at the backup defense, while Henry Jr. supplied the explosives, including a 22-yard touchdown run.
There was also some movement in the battle behind Achane. Ollie Gordon entered the game appearing to be trailing Jaylen Wright for the top backup role, but he helped himself with 39 yards on seven carries. Wright finished with 22 yards on six attempts, so the competition isn’t settled yet.
And for all the issues on defense, the Dolphins did get some pressure off the edge. Rookies Mason Reiger and Max Llewellyn were among the players who flashed, with Reiger recording a sack, David Ojabo and Llewellyn combining for another, and Cameron Goode adding one more for a three-sack night from the backup defense. There’s still plenty to sort out there, but it was at least a decent start for that group.
In Other News...
Dolphins Preseason Opener Could Decide Everything For These Fringe Players
The Dolphins head into their preseason opener against Washington with the usual August stakes, but a few roster battles already feel more pointed than others. For fringe players, this is the first real chance to turn camp chatter into something more durable, and a pair of names stand out in particular. Terrace Marshall Jr. could benefit from extra opportunity at receiver, where injuries have thinned the competition, while Quinn Ewers enters the game in a less obvious but still meaningful position as Miamis quarterback room is already set up for the present.
Marshalls path is straightforward enough: show enough in live action to force the staff to keep looking his way when roster decisions tighten. Ewers has a different kind of pressure, because his performance is likely being watched with an eye beyond Miami, where any clean preseason tape can matter for teams still searching for quarterback help. In a game that will mostly serve as an evaluation exercise, both players have a chance to make one outing count for more than just the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Face A Bigger Passing-Game Question After Preseason Swing
The Dolphins got another useful preseason look in the joint work with Washington, a setting that offered a glimpse of how both teams wanted to manage snaps rather than a true dress rehearsal. Several starters on both sides were limited or held out, and Miami was able to jump out to a 7-0 lead before the game settled into the kind of evaluation-heavy grind that often defines August. Washington also made its priorities clear by announcing that 26 players, including key starters, would not participate.
Even with the controlled workload, the passing-game picture got a little murkier for Miami because the afternoon turned on quarterback movement and the chain reaction that followed. Washington had to adjust after an injury at quarterback, and once the Commanders found a new rhythm, they put together a long scoring run that flipped the feel of the game. For the Dolphins, the bigger takeaway was not the final preseason result so much as how much still needs sorting out when the offense is asked to function beyond the first few scripted looks. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins May Have Found Cheap Help For A Secondary Fans Should Worry About
A shaky showing in a joint practice with the Washington Commanders underscored what the Dolphins have been dealing with in the secondary, and it has kept the front office eyeing outside help. Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox pointed to Green Bay cornerback Carrington Valentine as a possible answer, noting that he fits the kind of prototype Miami general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has tended to value while also addressing a clear area of need.
Valentine has logged meaningful snaps for the Packers, but his 2025 season has not gone smoothly, which is part of why he stands out as a potential buy-low option. Miami also has cap space to work with if it does decide to make a move, so the question becomes whether the Dolphins are ready to chase a modest fix for a defense that could use one before the season gets away from them. [Read more 🡒]