Jeff Hafley got a full look at his team on Friday night, and the picture that came back was a mixed one at best. The Miami Dolphins rolled just about everybody onto the field, with De'Von Achane getting a series and Malik Willis doing the same, while the rest of the starters each logged at least a snap or two. It was a clear message from Hafley: he wanted to see everybody, and he wanted to see them in action.
The good news is that Miami came away healthy. The better news is that the group did show some physical edge, even if the overall performance was messy.
The Dolphins didn’t look soft, and that mattered to Hafley. But the film also handed him a handful of issues that could linger well beyond one preseason night.
The biggest concern sits in the secondary. Starter Chris Johnson played a couple of series and looked solid, but the rest of the defensive backs struggled badly.
Once the Commanders’ third-string quarterback Sam Hartman entered early in the first quarter, Miami’s coverage fell apart. Washington moved the ball at will through the air, and that success opened up the run game too.
With Dante Trader Jr. and JuJu Brents out, the Dolphins were already short-handed back there, but the larger problem is the lack of proven depth. This is a young unit, and the learning curve is going to take time.
Pressure off the edge is another issue that should be sitting heavy on Hafley’s mind. Chop Robinson saw a few snaps and didn’t look bad, but Miami never found steady pressure on the Commanders’ quarterbacks.
That’s a problem, especially when the Dolphins’ defensive ends were lined up against players fighting for roster spots and still couldn’t take control. If that doesn’t improve fast, opponents are going to lean on Miami all season.
The offensive line also comes with a warning label. Miami’s starting front might be better than it has been in a decade or more, but that only matters if it stays intact.
The depth behind it looks shaky, and Austin Jackson is a name that stands out in that conversation. There’s too much youth up front right now, and until that group starts to mesh, uneven play is going to be part of the deal.
And then there’s the receiver room. Malik Washington and Caleb Douglas can be crossed off the worry list, but the rest of the wideouts did themselves no favors.
Their night was so poor that the only possible explanation left is that Quinn Ewers and Cam Miller made life impossible with their decision-making. Outside of those two, no receiver really showed enough to feel safe.
That kind of outing is the sort that has a coach looking hard at the roster and a general manager like Jon-Eric Sullivan maybe taking some calls.
In Other News...
Dolphins Face A Bigger Passing-Game Question After Preseason Swing
The Dolphins got a useful look at themselves against Washington in a joint practice and preseason game, but the bigger takeaway was how quickly the matchup turned into a test of depth and decision-making. Both teams held several starters out or limited, and Miami jumped out to an early 7-0 lead before the night settled into the kind of evaluation-heavy football that usually tells coaches more about roster spots than the scoreboard.
Washington announced 26 players, including key starters, would not play, which only added to the uncertainty around what either side was really showing. Still, the game carried a reminder that the passing game can change fast when the quarterback rotation shifts, and the Dolphins left with another layer to sort through as they keep assessing how their offense looks once the preseason reps start getting handed around. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Leave First Preseason Test With Two Concerns Fans Noticed
The Dolphins first preseason test offered a little of everything, starting with a crisp opening drive that ended in a touchdown before the offense settled into a much shakier rhythm. Malik Willis got Miami moving early, but the backups had a harder time sustaining anything consistent, and the passing game never found much traction after that opening burst. Even in a loss to Washington, there were enough encouraging individual moments up front and on the defensive side to suggest some parts of the roster are trending the right way.
Still, the 20-7 result left two issues hanging over the night for Miami observers. The quarterback play behind the first unit was uneven, with completions hard to come by and interceptions adding to the frustration, while the run defense also gave up too much ground and paid for it in the end zone. For a team trying to sort out depth and identity before the games count, those are the kinds of preseason problems that tend to linger until the next chance to clean them up. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Fans Cant Ignore This Early Tua Comparison
Malik Willis got his first preseason look in a Dolphins uniform and made it count, showing enough poise to settle into the offense and draw praise from coach Jeff Hafley. Miami asked for clean operation and some movement on the opening night of exhibition play, and Willis delivered a steady debut that gave the staff and fans something to watch as the quarterback picture starts to take shape.
Across the league, Tua Tagovailoas new chapter in Atlanta opened far less smoothly, which only sharpened the contrast for Dolphins observers who remember how closely every preseason snap gets judged around here. The early comparison is hard to miss, even if its only one exhibition game for each player, and it leaves Miami with a fresh talking point as the team keeps sorting out what it wants from the position moving forward. [Read more 🡒]