A six-pack of thoughts and injury updates in the wake of the Dolphins’ 14-6 win against visiting Jacksonville on Saturday in the preseason finale for both teams:
▪ It’s highly questionable if the Dolphins completely fixed their offensive line, sufficiently addressed cornerback or signed an effective backup quarterback.
But hey, they might have aced the third day of the draft!
Aside from first-round pick Kenneth Grant and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, the most intriguing new additions might end up being their third-day draft haul, primarily sixth-round running back Ollie Gordon II, fifth-round cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. and fifth-round defensive lineman Jordan Phillips.
Marshall’s elevation to the first team nickel corner job stands among the biggest stories of preseason. Essentially, he shot past a presumed starter (Mike Hilton) and did it at a position that he has seldom played in high school (at Miami Palmetto) or college (at UF).
He acquitted himself nicely Saturday, albeit against Jaguars second- and third-teamers. His signature play was a hit that played a part in a Jaguars receiver dropping a third down pass.
“He’s a guy that’s around the ball,” general manager Chris Grier said on draft night. “He has ball skills; he has hands. So for us, he’s a size corner [at 6-2] with movement skills.”
Is Marshall better equipped for the job than Hilton, who has been one of the NFL’s better nickel corners over the past five years? We’ll find out soon enough, presuming he lines up with the starters against Daniel Jones’ Colts, Drake May’s Patriots and Josh Allen’s Bills.
Gordon’s emergence has been both heartening and necessary, with injuries temporarily sidelining De’Von Achane and Jaylen Wright. Even if Wright hadn’t sustained a (non-serious) leg injury, Gordon has earned the No. 2 job. He entered averaging 4.6 yards per game in preseason (18 for 83), then averaged 5.4 yards (8 for 43) against Jacksonville, running hard and running well.
The NFL Network studio crew raved about him at halftime; Brian Baldinger reminded a national audience that he led the nation in rushing for Oklahoma State in 2023: “He’s a talented big back.”
Though his per-carry average dropped from 6.1 in 2023 to 4.6 last season, remember what ESPN’s Mel Kiper said about him on draft night: “There was no running room at all” for Gordon last season. “He was hitting a wall.”
A quintessential downhill runner, Gordon has the look of someone who will be a part of an NFL running back rotation for years. “I’m really proud of Ollie,” Tua Tagovailoa said afterward.
Meanwhile, Phillips - drafted one spot before Cleveland snagged Shedeur Sanders - has elevated his game in recent weeks. There were again snapshots on Saturday that suggest he can be a stout run stopper.
(For those keeping track, Sanders struggled in Cleveland’s preseason finale Saturday, taking five sacks and completing 3 of 6 passes for 14 yards.)
Fifth-round safety Dante Trader Jr., who’s injured again after being sidelined earlier in training camp, has a skill set that could make him a useful player. But we might not see it until later in 2025 or 2026.
The Dolphins’ two other third-day picks – seventh rounders Quinn Ewers and Zeek Biggers - also have had good moments over the past six weeks. On Saturday, Biggers had a tackle for loss and Ewers showed pinpoint accuracy on a 21-yard throw to Andrew Armstrong on 3rd and 9.
Ewers has made a bunch of those types of passes, particularly in the first three weeks of camp. He finished 7 for 8 for 66 yards on Saturday (a 101 passer rating).
This has a chance to be the Dolphins’ best third-day draft haul in years.
▪ Meantime, a third-day pick from a year ago -- sixth-rounder Malik Washington -- completed a sterling preseason with three receptions for 41 yards, including a nifty 25-yard catch-and-run touchdown and a catch to convert a fourth and sixth.
Washington should be Miami’s No. 3 receiver, a role he seemingly has snatched from veteran Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. “The blocking is where he has most improved from last year to this year,” Tagovailoa said.
With Dee Eskridge laying claim to the fifth receiver job, the question is whether Tahj Washington (who had four catches for 30 yards on Saturday) sticks as a sixth receiver on the 53-man roster.
His combination of speed and craftiness against man coverage suggest he’s an NFL-caliber receiver. But he’s competing at Miami’s deepest offensive position.
▪ Some injury updates:
Channing Tindall and Eugene Asante, competing for the fifth inside linebacker job, sustained fourth quarter injuries. Asante limped off, helped by a trainer.
▪ Among encouraging developments on Saturday (besides the aforementioned rookies): The debut of the Jaelan Phillips/Bradley Chubb/Chop Robinson package paid dividends on the first play of the game, when Robinson registered a sack. Phillips and Chubb shared a sack later …
Safety John Saunders Jr. grabbed a late interception and returned it for 52 yards, reaffirming his reputation as a ball-hawk. He created seven takeaways at Mississippi last season – three interceptions and four forced fumbles. He has put himself in the discussion for a backup safety job…
Erik Ezukanma did a terrific job holding onto a 17-yard catch on 4th and 16 despite taking a crushing hit. But it might be too little too late for the former fourth-round pick…
Linebacker Derrick McLendon had a sack, putting a ribbon on an impressive camp and preseason… Rookie cornerback BJ Adams had a big hit to force an incomplete pass.
▪ Among the discouraging developments: Larry Borom, filling in for starting right tackle Austin Jackson, permitted one sack and had a role in allowing another on Miami’s first possession. No NFL player who had less than 240 pass-blocking snaps allowed as many sacks last season as Borom, who permitted seven (along with 22 pressures) for Chicago, per PFF…
Pharoah Brown, starting in the absence of Darren Waller and Julian Hill, permitted a sack. (James Daniels couldn’t cover for Brown being beaten.)
▪ Toughest roster calls, in our view, besides Tahj Washington: Do the Dolphins favor the special teams acumen of Cam Goode (CBS’ Kim Bokamper said he will be on the team) over the pass-rush promise of Grayson Murphy or McLendon (as opposed to keeping Goode and either Murphy or McLendon)? And do Quinton Bell or Mo Kamara earn another season? It’s difficult to envision Miami keeping more than two of those five on the 53…
Who sticks at cornerbacks besides Saturday’s first-teamers (Storm Duck, Jack Jones and Marshall)? If Ethan Bonner (hamstring) ends up on injured reserve (a scenario that CBS-4 mentioned as a possibility), that would leave Cam Smith and Kendall Sheffield (who’s injured) or a waiver claim as the potential fourth and fifth corners, in whatever order, with Hilton’s status murky at best. Despite being listed as a starter on the depth chart, Hilton played with the backups on Saturday, as he often has since signing early in camp…
Can Miami slip defensive lineman Matt Dickerson to the practice squad, or do they keep him as a sixth defensive lineman (with Grant, Zach Sieler, Benito Jones, Phillips and Biggers)? Dickerson made a strong case for himself in camp…
Besides Borom (who sticks by default), is there any other healthy backup offensive lineman who should feel safe during roster cuts? Backup left tackle Kion Smith had a disappointing preseason and none of the other backups (besides injured Andrew Meyer) made a convincing case for a job.