Preseason and training camp are always a time for hope. That was no different for the Miami Dolphins this summer when several players emerged as potential contributors.
However, the time for hope is over. We’re approaching the end of the 2025 NFL season, and the Dolphins are 4-7. Since the team is on its bye, we’ve decided to look back at some players who flashed this summer but didn’t translate to regular season success.
No player is a better candidate for this list than Gay. He looked like a revelation at the second level this offseason. Although the team never said he’d start over Tyrel Dodson, Gay’s playmaking ability made it a conversation for fans and media.
It wasn’t a horrible take, either. Gay’s speed and physicality in space are traits the Dolphins could use. He’s also got some experience blitzing and playing off the edge, too, which is valuable versatility in Anthony Weaver’s defense.
However, none of that has come to fruition. Gay has played just 48 defensive snaps this season and has just one game when he’s played more than 10 defensive snaps — Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons.
He had an opportunity to get a lot more reps when Dodson missed a game against the Chargers, but the team started K.J. Britt instead.
Ultimately, Gay’s struggles as a run defender are likely the reason Miami has kept him off the field. He’s played well on special teams, so it hasn’t been a total bust.
Washington didn’t have near the level of hype that Gay did this summer, but there was some after his preseason performances.
To Washington’s credit, working his way back from a season-ending injury he suffered as a rookie to make the 53-man roster is impressive. He’s a former seventh-round pick, so it wouldn’t have been surprising if Miami cut him.
Some believed Washington could make a real impact this season, but that hasn’t been the case. He has one catch on two targets for 11 yards and has run 15 total routes this season.
It’s a tough climb for Washington, who is behind Jaylen Waddle, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Malik Washington, Dee Eskridge, and now behind Cedrick Wilson, who was signed after Tyreek Hill’s injury.
Dickerson was someone many analysts expected to make the 53-man roster after a strong training camp. He was one of the few Dolphins’ defensive linemen who could play on the interior or on the edge.
That’s a role Calais Campbell filled last season, and while Dickerson wasn’t expected to be as good as Campbell, he could’ve taken some of those snaps in theory.
Well, that theory didn’t last long since Dickerson didn’t make the team’s final roster. Now, he’s on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad and was elevated for the team’s Week 11 win against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Conner has been a strong preseason contributor for three years, and there was a lot of talk this offseason about how much he had bulked up and improved as a blocker.
He even got a chance to play a ton of snaps this season (175) because of the preseason injury to Darren Waller and the midseason injury to Julian Hill. However, it just didn’t work out for Conner.
He was cut from the roster and re-signed to the practice squad following the team’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Hayden Rucci and Greg Dulcich have taken those snaps and have done a much better job.
Conner caught nine of his 15 targets for 91 yards before getting demoted. Dulcich has eight catches on 13 targets for 89 yards in about half of the games played.
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