The Miami Dolphins wrapped up their second of three preseason games on Saturday. For players on the roster bubble, time is about to run out to make the right impression.
Only a handful of Dolphins starters saw reps in the game. Kadyn Proctor played one series and looked good in a short three-play appearance. The Dolphins hosted the Giants for a Thursday joint practice. That led to Jeff Hafley keeping the starters out. The Giants played only a few starters as well.
The Dolphins have a lot of work to do before the season begins, and some players performed well enough to keep their names in the 53-man conversation.
Miami Dolphins LB stands out as one of the best in Saturday's loss to the Giants
Jackson Woodard - ILB - Winner
The inside linebacker has had a consistent camp, but he stood out against the Giants. Woodard was able to get himself around the ball carrier on what seemed like every play. He moved well in pursuit and attacked in the open field. Woodard has tough competition to make the roster, but he made a good statement in the loss.
Ollie Gordon - RB - Winner
Gordon looked physical and was hard to bring down in the open field. He had a big run called back in the first half thanks to a Charlie Heck hold. Gordon was hurt late in the second quarter, but he showed physical toughness when the ball was in his hands.
Cam Miller - QB - Winner
It's hard to include a quarterback who didn't put up decent statistics, but Miller played a good portion of the game and had to deal with a lot of drops from his receivers. He didn't make dumb decisions with the ball and showed pocket awareness that was completely absent in week one. Miller has a long way to go, but he may have made his final point for a practice squad spot.
Keith Cooper Jr. - DT - Winner
For most of the game, the Dolphins' defensive front spent more time walking backward than pushing forward. One player who seemed to be in a good position to make a play was Cooper. The Dolphins' backup defensive tackle made some impressive stops, but he still has to get more consistent. Overall, Saturday was a promising game, and he was better than the other DTs who played.
David Ojabo - Edge - Loser
Ojabo had an early opportunity to showcase his abilities to get off blocks and disrupt the line's passing game. He didn't impact the game. As an edge setter, he had issues with keeping the running back contained by biting inside on an outside bounce or overcommitting to the boundary and losing the back behind him. He should have stood out for the better, but he didn't.
Charlie Heck and Andrew Meyer - Losers
It was hard to choose between them, considering they both were horrible. Heck probably edges Meyer out, but only because there is a higher expectation for Heck. Both found themselves a yard or more off the line every play as they were pushed backward. If the Dolphins could find suitable options to replace them this late in camp, it would be smart.
TuTu Atwell - WR - Loser
Atwell had a chance early to put his name in the mouth of Jeff Hafley, but he dropped both passes thrown his way. One of them was a tougher catch, but one that an NFL-quality receiver should be able to make. Atwell is in serious danger of losing his spot on the roster, and Saturday did nothing to help his cause. His route running looked lazy to the point that it almost looked like he didn't want to be out there.
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