The Miami Dolphins host the Atlanta Falcons later tonight in the preseason finale for both teams. There are plenty of storylines to track tonight, highlighted by the return of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to Miami, now as the starter for the Falcons. But, the final preseason game is really about players who are hoping to make one last impression on the coaching staffs to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
Miami Dolphins on SI’s Alain Poupart identified five players he thinks need to be watched during the game, including fullback D.J. Herman. Can he do enough to earn a roster spot? Poupart thinks he has a chance:
FB D.J. HERMAN
This one is a fascinating case, maybe because Herman was a linebacker at San Diego State before coming to Miami for a workout at fullback and then playing well enough to be given a contract. And then Herman has just continued to plow, to the point where he’s put himself squarely in the conversation for a roster spot. Herman has shown himself to be a willing blocker and also has shown good hands as a receiver, pretty impressive for a converted linebacker. Herman has benefited from the absence of free agent pick-up Ben Sims, who was taken snaps as a fullback/H-back before he was sidelined with an injury.
You can check out the rest of that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.
Five Rising Dolphins Players And Their 53-Man Roster Outlook Before the Preseason Finale - Alain Poupart, Miami Dolphins on SI
The Miami Dolphins will face the Atlanta Falcons on Friday with roster cuts to follow two days later
And check out our new logo for the Splash Zone. What do you think?
Falcons vs. Dolphins Preseason Week 3 preview / Tua Tagovailoa return
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Four vet WRs with last chance to impress Dolphins. And notable comments on Willis - Barry Jackson, Miami Herald
Weeks before the Dolphins drafted three wide receivers, they signed a trio of veterans – Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and Terrace Marshall Jr. – on minimum or near-minimum deals, then added another, Jalen Reagor, after the draft.
How Should Dolphins Fans Treat Tua’s Return to Hard Rock Stadium? (And Why Is It Even a Topic?) - Alain Poupart, Miami Dolphins on SI
The former Miami Dolphins starting QB is coming back for the preseason finale
Tua returns to Miami with Falcons, as Dolphins have big decisions on deck - David Furones, South Florida Sun Sentinel
Before the Miami Dolphins play their first regular-season game under a new regime, they have a door to close from the old one. Ex-Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will start for the Atlanta Falcons in Friday night’s preseason finale.
Dolphins trade Atwell for Hunter
Dolphins trade receiver Tutu Atwell back to Rams for running back - David Furones, South Florida Sun Sentinel
Tutu Atwell’s South Florida homecoming is over before his first regular-season game with the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins traded Atwell, the veteran wide receiver, to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for running back Jarquez Hunter, the team announced Thursday afternoon. The trade is official, pending physicals.
Dolphins trade Atwell for running back who led SEC in per carry average in ‘24 - Barry Jackson, Miami Herald
The Dolphins hoped Tutu Atwell would have a happy homecoming in South Florida and give the Dolphins a veteran deep threat at wide receiver. It didn’t work out that way.
What to Know About New Dolphins RB Jarquez Hunter (And the Great Trade That Brought Him to Miami) - Alain Poupart, Miami Dolphins on SI
The Miami Dolphins swung a trade with the Los Angeles Rams
Waiver claims and roster cuts
Why the Dolphins Shouldn’t Be Linked to Every Player Waived - Alain Poupart, Miami Dolphins on SI
The Miami Dolphins need to upgrade their roster, but they clearly have a blueprint on how they’ll go about it
Dolphins 2026 potential
I’m starting to believe in Dolphins’ run game - Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun Sentinel
I’m starting to believe one thing about the 2026 Miami Dolphins: they’ll be able to run the ball. On the first play of almost every 11-on-11 session during training camp, Pro Bowl running back De’Von Achane took the handoff from quarterback Malik Willis, ran to the right, usually behind All Pro center Aaron Brewer and guard Jonah Savaiinaea, and gained perhaps four or five yards.
2027 NFL Mock Draft
Early 2027 mock draft predicts Dolphins will get No. 1 pick — and make controversial move - David Furones, South Florida Sun Sentinel
If the Miami Dolphins end up with the top pick in next year’s NFL draft, would they really trade it away? There hasn’t even been a single game played in the 2026 regular season, but draft prognosticators are already unveiling their early 2027 mock drafts.
Former Dolphins
Keeping Track of Former Dolphins Players Comings and Goings (And Who’s Still Looking) - Alain Poupart, Miami Dolphins on SI
Recently waived wide receiver Tahj Washington didn’t take long to find a new team
ICYMI - The Phinsider News and Updates
Dolphins trade Tutu Atwell to Rams - Kevin Nogle, The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins are sending Tutu Atwell back to the Rams in exchange for a running back.
The Feed Post of the Day
Want to join in the conversation and share your thoughts or point of view on the Dolphins? Check out The Feed, our community-driven discussion about the Dolphins, football, or just about anything on your mind. You can find the feed on the front page of The Phinsider. Jump in now to advance the Dolphins discussion.
Would you like to join The Phinsider staff?
We are currently looking for new team members here on The Phinsider. We have an few opportunities available.
What are we looking for?
We have various roles that we would like to add to the site. We need to make sure The Phinsider remains the go-to place for fans to get the latest and greatest about the Dolphins. With that in mind, we will need assistance in covering breaking news items - but the focus for the site should be on the analysis of the news along with opinion. We do not just want to be a place where you get the news, but we want to have community discussions.
Available roles:
- Feed post curator - We are creating a new position for the site. This role is to maintain the Feed, the fan-led section of our site. This is where you (or anyone) can share their thoughts on the Dolphins and the latest news. This can be as simple as sharing a social media post or creating a poll or picture to generate discussion. It can be as in-depth as creating analysis of the news in a short form version. The idea is to create multiple posts throughout the week, as well as identify member-created posts that should be highlighted for the rest of the community.
- Daily-links curator - This is our Splash Zone article that is posted each morning. This is a relatively easy post, collecting the stories from around the web about the Miami Dolphins over the last 24 hours and creating an article with the links to each of those. We are looking for someone - or a couple people - who can ensure this post is published first thing each morning.
- Writer - This is our primary role. You will be asked to write articles about the Dolphins and other NFL-related items. These should be opinion and analysis based pieces. The ideal is around three-posts per week during the season, with help during games and post-game.
What skills and qualifications should you have?
We’re looking for people who:
- Are passionate about the Dolphins
- Ideally already enjoy reading and/or commenting in The Phinsider community
- Are able to produce and edit clean copy
- Have at least a reasonable grasp on stats and advanced data like DVOA and EPA
- Be comfortable in a remote environment
- Are self-starters and comfortable meeting deadlines. We don't have many deadlines to work with at The Phinsider, but there are sometimes stories in which expediency is important
- Willing to engage with readers in comments and to listen to differing opinions
How do you apply?
Please send at least a football-related writing sample to myself at thephinsider [at] sbnation [dot] com. You can send a resume and cover letter but it's not mandatory, especially if past work is not translatable to this position. If you have previous writing experience then I'd appreciate a resume.
While film analysis is not a requirement of this position and we are not specifically looking for that in any of these roles, if you have done film breakdowns, I encourage you to highlight that and include examples.
If you have links to Feed posts on The Phinsider, feel free to include those in the email as well.
Is this contractor or employee work?
We are looking for the best fit for you. We are primarily looking for contractor positions, which come with minimum posting requirements and a monthly stipend. If you are interested in joining the team, but are not quite sure you can commit to regular posting, that is fine and we can talk about adding you as a writer in an unpaid role until you are more comfortable with the responsibilities.
The contractor job is not going to make you rich, so do not quit your day job. But if you love talking and writing about the Dolphins and want to earn a little extra cash, this may be your landing spot.
Our staff is a close one, and we are constantly talking and keeping up with the latest Dolphins and life news. My biggest guidance to everyone on the staff is that we are all doing this because we love the Dolphins; this is not the primary job for anyone on the staff - we want everyone to have fun with this role.
If your background and experience don’t perfectly align with every single thing we’re looking for, that is fine. If you do not have a large writing catalog, that is fine. Many of our writers, including some who have moved on to great opportunities outside of The Phinsider, began here as Fan Post (the previous version of The Feed) writers with no other experience - myself included. We encourage you to apply!
If you have any questions please let me know here or through email!
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