Miami’s Role Players Finally Stole The Show
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
When ESPN first started showing commercials advertising the Miami Dolphins’ Monday Night Football showdown with the Los Angeles Rams, it was all about the big-game players. Tyreek Hill! Jalen Ramsey! Matthew Stafford! Tua Tagovailoa! All representing two glamorous cities, Los Angeles and Miami. Not only that, these two teams were led by two young and innovative offensive-minded coaches in Sean McVay and Mike McDaniel. Despite both team’s lackluster seasons, the MNF matchup was defined by flashiness and star power.
While the biggest stars did indeed shine bright for the Dolphins, the real stars of the show were Miami’s role players. Malik Washington, Quinton Bell, and Anthony Walker Jr. all had standout performances. Washington dashed to his first career touchdown on an 18-yard run. Bell finished the game with a tackle for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble. Walker dazzled in coverage with a pass deflection and a diving interception.
MALIK WASHINGTON'S FIRST NFL TD‼️#MIAvsLAR pic.twitter.com/Lkn2XetqAV
— ESPN (@espn) November 12, 2024
As the Dolphins’ postseason hopes get dimmer, this season increasingly belongs to these players. Each of them were vying for increased snaps and made good on their opportunities. Washington had been stuck as the Dolphins WR5 behind Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Odell Beckham Jr, and River Cracraft. Meanwhile, Bell is a rotational pass rusher who gets out-snapped by Emmanuel Ogbah and rookie Chop Robinson. Walker is a backup inside linebacker behind Jordyn Brooks and, until he was cut Wednesday afternoon, David Long Jr. Can these guys be trusted in more prominent roles, or are they better suited as role players? That’s what we get to find out now.
Even with more playing time, it’s still going to be an uphill battle. With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle serving as the Dolphins’ dynamic duo at wide receiver, the most prominent role that Washington could realistically obtain is WR3. But Odell Beckham Jr., who Miami inked this offseason for that third receiver spot, is clearly nowhere close to the same player he once was. Through five games, the grizzled veteran only has 5 receptions for 32 yards on 8 targets.
Tight end Jonnu Smith has become a much more effective third option in the Dolphins’ passing game, which means that WR3 role has been greatly reduced. Miami doesn’t need someone like Odell Beckham Jr., who is (was?) better suited in a high-volume role. The Dolphins need someone who can provide a spark to the offense in a limited capacity, and Washington showed that he’s capable of bringing that extra jolt of energy in this offense, gaining 35 yards on just two touches, a hint at what he could be as Tua’s WR3.
Unlike Washington, edge rusher Bell isn’t a tantalizing young player oozing with potential. Still, that hasn’t prevented him from bringing energy off the bench as the Dolphins’ third pass rusher. And for what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus has Bell ranked as Miami’s highest-graded pass rusher, with a pass-rush grade of 84.9. For context, Bell’s pass-rushing grade is 10.8 points higher than Jordyn Brooks, who is the highest among Dolphins starters.
Now, take those grades with a grain of salt. Although Bell has had some great moments throughout the season, his performance against the Rams dramatically skews his season grade. Bell earned a 93.1 pass-rushing grade against the Rams, but prior to that game, his rating was a mere 58.3.
Robinson and Mohamed Kamara have been outperforming Bell as a pass-rusher for the majority of the season. Both of those players are rookies who offer more long-term upside. With Ogbah being the de-facto veteran leader of the Dolphins’ outside linebacker room, it’s hard to envision Bell being anything more than a rotational pass rusher in Miami. But no one could say he didn’t crush his opportunity on Monday.
At 29, Walker isn’t exactly an up-and-comer, but the path forward is cleared for him with Long out of the picture. This comes in the wake of a few weeks where Walker’s snap count has risen, and the Dolphins must have liked what they saw, even before Monday night. Is he going to campaign for a spot beside Brooks next year? Or is Miami simply taking stock of what they have in-house before deciding what to do this offseason?
Regardless of what the future holds, having role players stand out in such a big way against the Rams on national television is a good sign for Miami. The Dolphins’ primetime affair may have been headlined by guys like Hill and Ramsey, but Monday’s game showed us that there’s still plenty to watch out for, even in a difficult season.
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