Dolphins 2023 Second Preseason Game Snap Count Observations

Cedrick Wilson Jr., Isaiah Wynn and Noah Igbinoghene were among the Miami Dolphins players whose usage stood out in their 28-3 victory against the Houston Texans

As they did in 2022 in head coach Mike McDaniel's first year, the Miami Dolphins rolled out their entire team in their second preseason game of 2023 against the Houston Texans.

That included quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who played two series in his preseason debut with a total of 15 snaps.

That was about the same work load as defensive starters like Xavien Howard, Jerome Baker and Jevon Holland, all of whom played 14 snaps in the 28-3 victory at NRG Stadium.

The number of players on the active roster who didn't play totaled 17, exactly half the number for the preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

All of them were dealing with some kind of injury with the exception of DT Christian Wilkins, who continues to "hold in" in search of a new contract. The others who didn't play were CB Jalen Ramsey, WR Jaylen Waddle, CB Justin Bethel, RB Jeff Wilson Jr., CB Cam Smith, DB Keion Crossen, S Brandon Jones, FB Alec Ingold, RB Myles Gaskin, CB Ethan Bonner, CB Nik Needham, G Lester Cotton, T Terron Armstead, OL Liam Eichenberg, TE Tanner Conner and WR Braylon Sanders.

DOLPHINS OFFENSE OBSERVATIONS

-- We'll start here with the quarterbacks here, as we tend to do, where what stuck out was the fact that Skylar Thompson was given the rest of the game after he replaced Tua for the first drive of the second quarter — with the exception of four snaps in the third quarter after Thompson was pulled from the game to be evaluated for a potential concussion after being slammed to the ground (he was fine). McDaniel had said after the Atlanta game that Thompson would get the chance to play against Houston with the same players as White did against Atlanta, and he played well enough to give the Dolphins coaches something to think about when it comes to the backup QB job.

-- That Tua started shouldn't have been a shock because that's what McDaniel did with him in 2022 and Tua played two series each time.

-- The running back snaps were affected by the injury that took rookie De'Von Achane out of the game in the third quarter, which gave Salvon Ahmed some late snaps he otherwise might not have had. As it was, he finished with a team-high 27 for the position, followed by Chris Brooks' 23 and Achane's 12. Like Tua, Mostert was done after the second offensive series, which ended with his 2-yard touchdown run.

-- Likewise, Tyreek Hill was done after that first touchdown drive and the thing that stood out at wide receiver was Cedrick Wilson Jr. playing 41 snaps, 13 more than any other Dolphins player at the position. One certainly could suggest the Dolphins were showcasing Wilson, whose two catches were fourth-down conversions, in the hopes they can find a trade partner.

-- It also should be noted that River Cracraft (28), Robbie Chosen (27), Erik Ezukanma (26) and Braxton Berrios (25), four players involved in a potential battle for a role on the offense or even a spot on the roster, all played about the same number of snaps.

-- At tight end, the Dolphins clearly wanted to take a long look at promising rookie free agent Julian Hill, whose 38 snaps were 18 more than anybody else at the position. On the flip side, rookie seventh-round pick Elijah Higgins played only 17 snaps.

-- On the offensive line, what's interesting to note is that four of the starters against Houston — Kendall Lamm, Connor Williams, Robert Hunt and Austin Jackson — all played 18 snaps, while Isaiah Wynn stayed in the game for 46 of the team's 73 offensive snaps. While some of that can be attribute to guard Robert Jones leaving the game in the second quarter with a knee injury, it's also an indication that Wynn hasn't won the left starting guard job because he opened the Houston game.

DOLPHINS DEFENSE OBSERVATIONS

-- The playing time on defense was spread out much more evenly, with 17 players getting between 17 and 26 of the snaps.

-- What stands out involved the potential battle for the outside cornerback spot opposite Xavien Howard — Kader Kohou is a wild card here because the Dolphins always could use him there in a starting role and then move him to the slot when they're in a nickel or dime package — between Noah Igbinoghene and Eli Apple. Igbinoghene played 24 defensive snaps in the game compared to 17 for Apple, which says the Dolphins wanted more looks at the 2020 first-round pick or perhaps they wanted Apple out of the game earlier.

-- On that same topic, it should be noted that when the Dolphins opened with four DBs on defense, it was Kohou lining up outside opposite Howard.

-- On the line, it was good news to see Brandon Pili leading the way with 25 snaps after the scary-looking injury he sustained late in the joint practice with the Texans on Thursday (players from both teams huddled around Pili after he stayed on the ground).

-- It should be noted the Dolphins opened on defense in a pure 4-3 alignment after Houston began with a first-and-goal from the 7 following the Denzel Perryman interception, with Emmanuel Ogbah lining up at right end in a three-point stance. That appeared to be the only snap he played with a hand on the ground, though.

-- Among the starters, Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips had the shortest appearances with five snaps each, which makes sense given the large number of intriguing edge defenders the Dolphins have and the tough decisions they'll have at that spot when it comes time to trim the roster.

-- Among those who started on defense, the only two who played more than 14 snaps were Ogbah (20) and safety DeShon Elliott (18).

-- We'll close with DB Trill Williams, who played 19 snaps in his preseason debut.

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