5 Dolphins on offense to watch in the preseason opener vs. Atlanta

Mike White and Skylar Thompson

Tagovailoa will not play on Friday, not even a single snap. At least he shouldn't. The Dolphins have far too much invested in him to play him in a preseason game. This week will be the Mike White and Skylar Thompson show, and it is important because one of these two will not initially make the 53-man roster, but instead will be relegated to the practice squad.

White seems like the natural backup for Tagovailoa, but Thompson has playoff experience that White does not. This is good competition, and their stats will be scrutinized. While Thompson may have less experience in the regular season, White will save more if he is released. The Dolphins don't need the cap space, but money could be a factor if all things are equal.

Regardless, the competition between Thompson and White will be intriguing for all three preseason games. Miami released fourth-string quarterback Gavin Hardison ahead of camp, so this will be a two-man show for most of the preseason.