The Miami Dolphins' 2025 preseason is officially in the books.
Following their 14-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, how did the Dolphins look in their final warmup before the regular season?
Here's a look at the winners and losers from Miami's final preseason matchup.
Dolphins' winners from preseason win vs. Jaguars
Malik and Tahj Washington
Both Washingtons again looked sharp in the Dolphins' final preseason game. Malik Washington led the way with 41 yards receiving and a touchdown, making a terrific move in the open field to spring free for the 25-yard score. He also had a pair of respectable punt returns after catching the ball inside the 10-yard line, and made a key fourth-down reception to keep the drive alive.
Of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's completed passes this preseason, 78 percent of them went to Malik. His roster spot on Miami's 53 is a lock.
Yet, the same cannot be said for Tahj Washington. Nevertheless, the second-year man out of USC is making a strong case. Tahj totaled 30 yards receiving on four receptions, and like Malik, also converted a fourth-down catch against the Jaguars to move the sticks.
The Dolphins' wide receiver room is deep, but it's strongly believed that Tahj Washington has done enough to make this team. If not, it's far from a certainty that Miami would be able to sneak him back onto the practice squad.
Ollie Gordon II
Ollie Gordon II was given the second half off. While that could be because the Dolphins are suddenly thin at running back and they can ill afford to lose him for any stretch, it's also likely they've seen enough.
Gordon has been outstanding this summer and in the preseason. And with De'Von Achane and Jaylen Wright both dealing with injuries, Miami may need to count on him earlier than expected. Gordon was already outperforming Wright with his opportunities, but Achane could miss Week 1 and force the rookie out of Oklahoma State to get the start right away.
Quinn Ewers
Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers capped his impressive offseason by going 7-of-8 for 66 yards in the second half against Jacksonville. On his first play from scrimmage, Ewers was sacked, pinning the Dolphins inside their own 10-yard line. Yet, he bounced back and converted a 3rd-and-9 to wide receiver Andrew Armstrong for 21 yards and a first down.
Although Miami didn't score on the possession, Ewers and the offense did enough to flip the field in the Dolphins' favor. There are a lot of positives to take from a drive like that from a seventh-round rookie QB. Furthermore, he's just looked more poised in the offense than Zach Wilson has. Although Wilson will still go into the season as Miami's QB2, Ewers' upside is much higher.
Dolphins' losers from preseason win vs. Jaguars
Dolphins' run defense and tackling
Miami's run defense in the first half against the Jaguars was not good. They gave up 5.2 yards per carry to Jacksonville in the opening two quarters and didn't fare much better after that. On the night, eight of the Jaguars' 12 first-down conversions came on the ground.
As has been the case for the Dolphins, much of the Jaguars' success running the ball came after contact, with Miami defenders consistently bouncing off. The Dolphins have done a better job of tackling on special teams this preseason, but it looks to remain an issue at first glance on defense.
Dolphins' first-team offense
Sure, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the Dolphins down to a touchdown on the team's third drive -- but those two that preceded it were not good. Miami went three-and-out on its first two opportunities, totaling just one yard between them.
Tagovailoa took a sack on each possession and looked out of sync to start the game. He settled in some to lead the offense down and open the scoring, but he was frequently on the ground in his limited action. Miami's backup QBs were sacked and pressured multiple times as well, which doesn't bode well for the offensive line -- and the faith of the Dolphins' fan base in it.
Channing Tindall
Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium was likely the last time we'll see linebacker Channing Tindall in a Miami Dolphins uniform. He finished the night leading the Dolphins in tackles, but that's sort of the problem with him having to play nearly the entire game. And despite finishing with eight tackles and a TFL, most of it was far from pretty, with Tindall getting carried on more than one occasion. He also got banged up late in the game.
Tindall's draft capital as a former third-round pick in 2022 has kept him around in Miami, but it's time for a change for both sides. He's yet to show a capability of climbing the depth chart and has been nothing more than a decent special-teams player.
The Dolphins are trying to play more aggressively after being labeled "soft" on multiple occasions. Yet, Tindall hasn't shown that he can shed that label from the LB position. The Dolphins are also pretty solid within the unit, which doesn't help his case either.