Six Dolphins Training Camp Winners, Six Camp Losers (And Two Who Were Both)

The Miami Dolphins will wrap up their preseason with a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday night, with the final training camp practice having taken place earlier this week.

Not including walk-throughs, the Dolphins conducted 16 intrasquad practices along with their one joint session against both the Washington Commanders and the New York Giants.

During those practices, a select group of players on the 90-man roster (technically 91) stood out from the rest, either positively or negatively.

Here then are our six biggest winners and losers of training camp, with a bonus two who actually could fall into both categories:

THE DOLPHINS TRAINING CAMP WINNERS AND LOSERS

WINNER - QB Malik Willis

Willis entered training camp as the player under the biggest spotlight as the potential franchise quarterback, and he didn't do anything to suggest the challenge will be too big for him. While it's still too early to anoint him, he basically passed the first test, including impressive shows of leadership.

LOSER - QB Quinn Ewers

If Willis cemented his spot as "the guy" at quarterback — not that there ever should have been any doubt — Ewers did the total opposite when it comes to the backup spot. The 2025 seventh-round pick unquestionably was hurt by playing with shaky second- and third-teamers and also dealt with an injury, but that doesn't excuse the totality of a very disappointing training camp for him.

WINNER - FB D.J. Herman

We've mentioned this player often enough by now that everybody should know his story, the rookie free agent who went from college linebacker to put himself in position to have a shot at making the 53.

LOSER - WR Theo Wease Jr.

As a rookie free agent in 2025, Wease really teased with flashes of big-time potential and his impressive size. But he was barely noticeable all summer at a time when opportunities were there for wide receivers to gain some traction.

WINNER - EDGE Chop Robinson

Again, if you were paying attention at all this summer, you probably have heard or read dozens of times just how impressive Robinson was. If he wasn't the best player in training camp, he absolutely deserved to be in the conversation.

LOSER - G/T Jamaree Salyer

It's almost not right to include Salyer in any training camp recap because we barely saw him, and therein lies the problem. This was a free agent pick-up who at worst was going to provide depth all over the line and at best could challenge for a starting job. Instead, he was done after three camp practices, never to be seen again until he was put on IR and then released with an injury settlement.

WINNER - DT Keith Cooper Jr.

This is a player who got his proper due this past week — in part when a certain Dolphins reporter who often wears a Montreal Expos hat brought him up in a question to head coach Jeff Hafley — after really becoming noticeable lately. He went from camp body to legitimately having a shot at making the 53.

LOSER - T Charlie Heck

Heck has played better in practice of late, but he still has to be considered on the bubble a couple of days before the roster cutdown. This was not the plan when Heck was signed basically to replace Larry Borom as the swing tackle.

WINNER - LB Jackson Woodard

Between the return of Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson as well as three draft picks spent on linebackers, it was easy to overlook this 2025 late-season acquisition. Woodard made it impossible to ignore him with a lot of plays in practice, before his fumble recovery in the preseason game against the Giants.

LOSER - CB JuJu Brents

This has nothing to do with performance, but rather with Brents' continuing issues with injury. Fair or not, it's borderline depressing to watch a player with such talent again miss time in camp because of injury.

WINNER - CB Chris Johnson

Johnson is the only draft pick we've mentioned here, which is not to say he's the only who performed well. But he just was really, really good in the final days of training camp.

LOSER - K Zane Gonzalez

Maybe Gonzalez still wouldn't have beaten out incument Riley Patterson had he not landed on injured reserve, but the fact remains he seemed to have a legitimate shot at winning the kicker job before he was hurt.

WINNER AND LOSER - LB Trey Moore

Moore was a winner because of his performance and his rise to the starting lineup, but he ended up losing the start of his regular season because of hs ankle injury.

WINNER AND LOSER - WR Tutu Atwell

This was not the homecoming that Atwell had envisioned because the former Miami high school star really struggled in camp. But it worked out in a way for him because he got to go back to the only team for which he previously had played with his trade to the Rams.

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