Five Storylines for Dolphins Preseason Finale

The Miami Dolphins will face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium

Miami Dolphins running back Aaron Shampklin (48) breaks a tackle against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter at Ford Field in the second preseason game. | Eamon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins have one final warmup before focusing on the 17-game regular season. 

The final score between the Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars won’t matter. But it’s the last chance to see the team in action before rosters are cut to 53 and attention shifts to a Week 1 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. 

Process over results has been a slogan for the coaching staff throughout training camp, and a preseason game won’t forecast the twists of the season, but there are still some major storylines to follow Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium. 

Stability In The Trenches

The offensive line looked far more comfortable against the Detroit Lions after struggling against the Chicago Bears. Miami’s rushing attack improved from 3.9 to 4.9 yards per carry, and the quarterbacks were sacked just once after going down six times against the Bears.

While much of the preseason is played by backups and third-stringers, depth along the offensive line has been a lingering concern for Miami. Another steady showing would signal progress for the entire unit entering Butch Barry’s third season as offensive line coach.

Ewers Building Momentum

Quarterback Quinn Ewers completed less than 30 percent of his passes in Week 1 against Chicago but looked sharp against the Lions, finishing 11-of-17 for 116 yards and two touchdowns.

Ewers played three seasons at Texas, throwing for 3,472 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions as a junior before entering the NFL. Coach Mike McDaniel noted this offseason that the similarities between Ewers’ college offense and Miami’s scheme could help him adjust as a rookie.

While Ewers admitted he wasn’t perfect against Detroit, another step forward against the Jaguars could help shed the label of a seventh-round pick and show that he can continue developing into a contributor down the road.

State of the Running Backs

The Dolphins already were thin at running back with only De’Von Achane, Alexander Mattison, Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II under contract. Since then, the situation has only gotten worse.

Mattison will miss the season because of a neck injury, Achane is nursing a calf injury, and Wright left practice early with a trainer on Friday. 

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II (31) gets tackled by Detroit Lions linebacker Ezekiel Turner (47) in the fourth quarter at Ford Field. | Eamon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Entering his second season, Wright was projected to be a featured piece of the offense, but he has averaged just 1.5 yards on 13 carries this preseason. Gordon has shown promise through two preseason games as a sixth-round rookie, averaging 4.6 yards per carry on 18 attempts. 

Newcomers Aaron Shampklin and Mike Boone had steady debuts with the Dolphins last week. Shampklin broke a 26-yard run while Boone added 13 yards on three attempts. Even with a few flashes from newcomers, Miami enters the final week of the preseason needing to find reliable depth at running back.

Noise From The Cornerbacks

The Jaguars announced that starters won’t play, meaning that the defense won’t have to worry about facing Trevor Lawrence. With Nick Mullens, John Wolford and Seth Henigan set to get the majority of snaps, the Dolphins' cornerbacks will have their chances to steal the spotlight. 

Miami’s lack of depth at the position means that not only starting spots, but key rotational and depth roles can still be won. Undrafted rookie Ethan Robinson was the Week 2 hero with a game-winning interception of Hendon Hooker in the closing minutes, and another standout play from him — or any of Miami’s young corners — could go a long way toward shaping the first depth chart.

A Last Stand for Channing Tindall and Erik Ezukanma?

Channing Tindall and Erik Ezukanma were the first two draft picks of the Mike McDaniel era, and both face tough competition for roster spots entering 2025. 

Detroit Lions special teams player Grant Stuard (15) battles for possession of the ball with Miami Dolphins punt returner Dee Eskridge (82) and Channing Tindall (41) after Eskridge fumbled a punt in the first quarter at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Tindall had six tackles against the Lions, but so did first-year linebacker Dequan Jackson and rookie free agent Eugene Asante.

Miami has a steady rotation with Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dodson, K.J. Britt and Willie Gay Jr. at linebacker. That leaves Tindall needing to stand out, as Miami could choose to invest in the upside of keeping a younger option in the building.

At wide receiver, Dee Eskridge and Tahj Washington have looked explosive and are the front-runners for the final few roster spots. Undrafted rookie Theo Wease Jr. also stood out with six receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns last week.

Now in his fourth season, Ezukanma managed just one reception for 3 yards. He’ll need a big showing against Jacksonville to give himself a better chance of sticking around.