Let's state the obvious: scoreboards don't mean much for the Miami Dolphins and the rest of the NFL in the preseason. As much as some coaches might try to convince you otherwise, teams aren't playing for wins this time of year. They're playing for insights into their scheme and roster.
This past Sunday, the Dolphins opened their preseason slate with a back-and-forth battle with the Chicago Bears that ended in a 24-24 tie. There was certainly plenty that Miami showed, both positive and negative.
But one of the biggest takeaways is the weakness that could derail the Dolphins' season if they don't take action to correct it soon.
Weak Miami Dolphins secondary shows itself in preseason opener vs. Chicago Bears
The Dolphins' defensive secondary was already a question mark heading into the offseason. The team let star safety Jevon Holland walk in free agency because they were unwilling to pay his asking price. Veterans Kendall Fuller and Jordan Poyer were also let go.
Then, in one of the most shocking moves of the offseason, Miami traded Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Minkah Fitzpatrick. They brought in a haul of veterans to fill in the gaps, including Ifeatu Melifonwu and Mike Hilton.
All in all, it's nearly a completely new secondary — and a significantly weaker one.
The Dolphins' deficiencies in the secondary were obvious in their preseason opener. There were a few nice plays here and there, but Chicago's quarterbacks were consistently able to find open targets throughout the game.
Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum looked like proven starters, dicing up Miami's defense. Keenum had a near-perfect performance, with a quarterback rating of 139.6. The Bears threw for over 200 yards on the day, and it could have been much worse.
None of Miami's defensive backs showed that they were ready to step into bigger roles in 2025. If the team is relying on their current roster to fill out their secondary, a few players will have to make major improvements before the start of the season.
There are still some capable veteran defensive backs available in free agency. Fuller had his ups and downs in his lone season with the Dolphins, but he'd certainly be an upgrade over what they have at the moment. If Miami's current players continue to perform like they did over the weekend, it might be wise to bring some new talent into the building.
It's easy to overreact to preseason action. This secondary might just need time to gel together. But if they enter the season at the level they showed this weekend, it could be a serious cause for concern.