The Miami Dolphins finished their first preseason winless under head coach Jeff Hafley on Friday night, losing to the Atlanta Falcons 17-12. The result was disappointing, but the scoreboard matters little in exhibition games. What matters is what players (especially young guys and fringe roster hopefuls) can show the coaching staff in their limited opportunities.
With the vast majority of the Dolphins' expected starters resting Friday, it gave their many rookies and veterans fighting for a roster spot plenty of reps to prove themselves.
It was tough sledding for the most part in the first half, as the Falcons played most of their starters for the first few drives (more on that later). Still, that added challenge may have helped a few players boost their stock. Here are the biggest takeaways from the Dolphins' final preseason game.
Biggest takeaways from the Miami Dolphins preseason loss to the Falcons
Tua Tagovailoa's return to Miami was a microcosm of his Dolphins career
I had to start by discussing the return of Tua Tagovailoa to Miami, as he is fighting to earn the Falcons' starting quarterback job. His first drive ended in a touchdown, thanks in large part to a quick out from tight end Kyle Pitts that he took up the sideline for 37 yards.
The Falcons' next possession didn't go quite as well, as Tua fumbled the under-center snap and linebacker Willie Gay Jr. jumped on it for a turnover. Turnovers were a big issue at times for Tagovailoa during his time in Miami, and that seems to be following him to Atlanta. He also relied heavily on short throws on the night, with no pass attempt going beyond 10 yards in the air. With Michael Penix Jr. now healthy, don't be surprised if he wins his job back sooner rather than later.
Cam Miller showed improvement, but likely not enough to earn a roster spot
Cam Miller played by far the most snaps at QB this preseason for Miami, and he unfortunately struggled for the most part. His receivers didn't do much to help him, to be fair, nor did the Dolphins' backup offensive line. He did look more confident and aggressive against the Falcons, and he is almost certainly a lock for a practice squad spot.
Still, Miller wasn't able to take advantage of Quinn Ewers' groin injury that has sidelined him for the past two weeks. Ewers himself isn't a lock to make the team at this point, as Miami could look around the league for potential upgrades at backup QB. It would have been nice to see Miller make that feel unnecessary, but no dice.
Chris Bell's debut offered hope for the future at WR
The Dolphins' rookie receivers have been one of the biggest storylines of the summer, and the most physically gifted among them finally made his debut. Third-round pick Chris Bell got cleared to play earlier than most anticipated after the ACL tear he suffered back in November while at Louisville, and he looked ready to hit the ground running against the Falcons.
Bell was targeted five times in the game, catching two of them for 22 yards. His best play was an 18-yard reception over the middle, and he nearly pulled in two other big catches. More important than the stats was the fact that he looked explosive as a mover, something that isn't always a given coming off knee surgery. Hopefully, he can be a big part of the offense as a rookie.
The run game was stuck in the mud without any of the top three backs out there
This wasn't a surprise by any means, but the Dolphins' running game was nowhere to be found against the Falcons without De'Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, or Ollie Gordon II available. If you remove the 36 yards that Miller and QB Mark Gronowski racked up, the running backs (Carlos Washington Jr. and Coleman Bennett) managed just 42 yards on 18 attempts.
The recently acquired Jarquez Hunter didn't suit up for Miami, but his chances of making the final roster look pretty good based on how the other depth runners looked on Friday night.
The battle for the final receiver spot got a lot more interesting
The Dolphins receiving depth chart is...not exactly a star-studded group. As I mentioned previously, the Dolphins' trio of rookies (Caleb Douglas, Kevin Coleman Jr., and Bell) are the most interesting names of the bunch, with Malik Washington and Jalen Tolbert also likely locks at this point. Tolbert came into the game with something to prove, and he showed up by catching all three of his targets for 27 yards.
The players jockeying for position to be the sixth receiver also showed up in a way they hadn't prior to Friday night, for the most part at least. Terrace Marshall Jr. had two big catches and led the team with 49 receiving yards. A.J. Henning only caught one pass, but he took a screen pass from Gronowski and rumbled for 31 yards. Even Jalen Reagor had a nice 17-yard catch and a few good returns. I am looking forward to seeing who ultimately gets the nod.
The linebacker depth chart is anybody's guess
For a team that lacks quality depth at nearly every position, the Dolphins sure have a ton of solid linebackers. With Jordyn Brooks and Jacob Rodriguez both out this week, along with Trey Moore dealing with his ankle injury, the trio of Tyrel Dodson, Willie Gay Jr., and Jackson Woodard all played well against the Falcons.
Gay Jr. jumped on the fumbled Tua snap, and Woodard recovered another fumble by Brian Robinson Jr. (that Dodson forced, by the way), his second in two games. All three finished with six total tackles as well, helping keep the Falcons to just 40 rushing yards on 24 carries. I don't know if Miami has room for all of these guys, but any of them being cut would feel like a waste.
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