Winners And Losers: Wilson Shines, White Fades in Preseason Finale
Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Dolphins finished the preseason with a 24-14 loss at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Until the games start counting, however, the takeaways should be less about the final result and more about the individual performances, especially as Cutdown Day looms. Let’s look at the Winners and Losers from Friday’s action.
Winners:
Jeff Wilson
It was the last chance for Wilson, the veteran running back, to make his case to stay in South Beach, and he acquitted himself well. He only had four carries but looked electric as a receiver out of the backfield, snagging two passes for 21 yards.
Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane, and Jaylen Wright are still ahead of Wilson on the depth chart, and there are quality names behind him as well. As such, Wilson could easily fall victim to a numbers game. But whether or not he stays in Miami, Wilson showed he still has a lot left in the tank. There’s a spot on an NFL roster for him, the only question is where.
Jeff Wilson Jr. takes the screen pass, scampers for yardage then finishes the play. The #MiamiDolphins have so many quality runners in the RB room. Easily the deepest unit on the team.#GoFins pic.twitter.com/y8W8fRD4MI
— Matt Newton (@MattNewtonNFL) August 24, 2024
Jon Embree
One of the biggest winners for the Dolphins on Friday didn’t even play a snap. Assistant head coach Jon Embree took over the head coaching role in the second quarter, and it went off without a hitch. More coaches should take Mike McDaniel’s lead and allow their assistants to take a seat in the big chair during preseason. The players may take center stage, but why shouldn’t up-and-coming coaches get an audition, too?
Score one for Embree for getting some play-calling on tape for other organizations, but this is also a win for McDaniel. The third-year head coach is already attracting talented players with his ride-or-die, supportive attitude for his squad. Now he’s just shown the smartest young coaches in the NFL exactly why they should want to be part of his culture, too.
Malik Washington
Washington was a breakout star in Dolphins camp and once again showed why he will be a big part of their offense. Washington had two big returns in addition to an eye-opening 40-yard run. He also caught one pass for seven yards for good measure. The offense already is stacked with playmakers, so adding Washington’s speed to the mix feels like a cheat code. The rich get richer.
Malik Washington against the Bucs:
1 rush for 40 yards
1 catch for 7 yards
1 kick return for 45 yards
1 punt return for 28 yardsJust an absolute nightmare to tackle pic.twitter.com/9JB6Efa3tz
— Finscentral (@finscentral) August 24, 2024
Losers:
Mike White
White’s free-fall in the Dolphins’ QB pecking order continued, and last year’s backup could be searching for a new team in a couple of days. While White came off the bench for the first two preseason games, McDaniel gave him the start for a last look before Tuesday’s cutdowns.
It didn’t work out. White looked lost running the offense and routinely held onto the ball too long. He finished the game with just five completions on nine attempts for an anemic 37 yards. If that wasn’t enough, his bad day got worse when Skylar Thompson came in and balled out, completing 19 of his 27 passes for 190 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Thompson has looked like the better quarterback all preseason, and it’s hard to imagine that White is going to make the cut in Miami.
Skylar Thompson and Hayden Rucci get the @MiamiDolphins on the board!
📱: Stream #MIAvsTB on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/218QrTHSIf
— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024
Jody Fortson
Tight end Jody Fortson probably cost himself a chance at a roster spot on Friday night. The former Kansas City Chief struggled and hurt Miami in multiple ways, with a dropped pass, a holding penalty, and a pass interference infraction that negated a big gain. Maybe the Dolphins will try stashing him on the practice squad, but his already-slim chances of making the 53-man roster are all but extinguished.
Erik Ezukanma and Patrick McMorris
Erik Ezukanma and Patrick McMorris both had strong preseasons, but they suffered injuries at the worst possible time. While the Dolphins took the field, Ezukanma and McMorris patrolled the sidelines wearing walking boots. It’s unclear if that is going to be the difference between either making or missing the roster, but the last thing any player wants is to be on the injured list, watching others get opportunities to make plays.
The Run Defense
Miami’s run defense was a problem last season, and it appears to be a weak link yet again. Most of the starters were resting, but the second and third-stringers completely failed to slow down the running game. There were consistently big holes open for Tampa’s backs to stroll through, which had to give the coaching staff some concern. Even if the starters do prove capable of locking down the run, once injuries inevitably strike, these are the next guys up. Don’t be shocked if the Dolphins go shopping next week to try finding some quality run-stuffing depth.
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