Five Instant Overreactions from Dolphins Preseason Opener: Douglas, Johnson, and More

The Miami Dolphins played (and lost) their first preseason game of the Jeff Hafley era, which means it’s time to make some observations, both down-to-earth and quite extreme.

What’s Caleb Douglas’ gold jacket size?

Rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas, who has been a star in training camp so far, made the play of the night for the Dolphins. After stepping out of bounds prior to catching a previous Malik Willis pass, he made up for it by making an acrobatic one-handed snag. Clearly, he’s headed to the Hall of Fame.

Realistically, Douglas’ mix of size and athleticism gives Miami something they’ve lacked in their receiver room. He isn’t the speedster archetype of a Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle, but his 6-4 frame gives Malik Willis a large target to go get 50-50 balls like we saw Friday night.

Willis Will Win Games with his Legs

Malik Willis’ Dolphins debut was a strong one. On his lone drive, he went 4-for-5 for 43 yards and took off twice for 9 rushing yards. His skill set is vastly different than anything Miami has had at quarterback in recent memory, and he showed it off multiple times.

Miami ran two bootleg passes with Willis, both of which resulted in positive plays. On the first one, he put a short pass on the money to Malik Washington, and on the second, he extended the play and muscled out a positive play on the ground.

Seeing a Dolphins quarterback use their mobility to create advantages, both designed and off-script, is a far cry from the signal callers of years past.

And for those who feel a little petty, Tua Tagovailoa suited up for his Falcons debut, and both of his drives resulted in punts. The grass is looking a little greener in Miami, if only for one game.

The Offensive Line is a Strength

On the one drive Miami’s starting offense played, they marched down the field with little to no resistance. While Washington’s broadcast was quick to admit that the Commanders sat a majority of their starters, it was still a dominant performance for the Dolphins' first-string offensive line.

In particular, the guards were very impressive. Kadyn Proctor showcased his effortless power on the ground, and Jonah Savaiinaea looked like a new man on the right side. Miami was willing to lean into the power run game, and with Savaiinaea at the point of attack, his ability to displace his opponents looked much improved.

Miami later punched in a touchdown on a duo run, behind Patrick Paul and rookie tight end Will Kacmarek, the latter of whom did a strong job keeping his hands fit and torquing a defender out of his gap. This level of physicality looked like a step in the right direction for a Dolphins team that had been called soft by just about everyone over the last four years.

The Depth is a Disaster

When Miami’s starters sat down, a harsh reality set in rather quickly. The Dolphins’ depth looked completely outclassed by Washington. They were manhandled up front, giving up chunk runs and failing to establish anything of their own.

This was exacerbated by the play of Quinn Ewers, who did nothing to inspire confidence and continued a lackluster camp with a myriad of errant passes on Friday night. Cam Miller was also underwhelming, logging two interceptions to Ewers’ one.

These struggles aren't shocking, considering the mass exodus of talent that came with the new Dolphins regime, but one thing is clear: the bottom of the roster needs more churning.

Chris Johnson is a Keystone Player

After not participating in the joint practice Wednesday, first-round rookie Chris Johnson received a significant workload in the first half of this game. While he had his ups and downs, what stood out was his alignment.

Johnson was primarily in the nickel, where he was a focal point of Miami’s defense. He was targeted multiple times, along with being forced down into the box to defend the run and get after the passer. If this workload continues, which is to be expected considering his placement as the No. 1 nickel on Miami’s first depth chart, then his performance likely will be an indicator of Jeff Hafley’s defensive ecosystem overall.

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