Dolphins Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Downs for Preseason Finale

Who shined and who stumbled for the Miami Dolphins during their 24-14 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington gets hit by Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Marcus Banks (39) in the first quarter during preseason at Raymond James Stadium. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins capped off their preseason schedule with a 24-14 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday night.

As we did last week, we spent the weekend breaking down the film to highlight some players and units who deserve praise and others who don't.

Thumbs Up: Skylar Thompson

Miami's backup quarterbacks took a beating online this preseason. In fairness, Thompson and Mike White were underwhelmed in the team's three preseason games.

However, Thompson performed respectably against the Buccaneers. He finished 19-of-27 for 190 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

Thompson didn't make any overly impressive throws, but his first touchdown pass to Hayden Rucci was a nice middle-of-the-field dart. While on the run, he also hit Mike Harley in a tight window near the right sideline.

.@skylarjthompson finds @haydenrucci in the end zone for 6️⃣! pic.twitter.com/RZ2vWsA4iN

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 24, 2024

Given the Dolphins' weapons and offensive structure, they only need a little backup in the regular season. Nobody should expect the team to compete if Tua Tagovailoa misses an extended period, but Thompson's play Friday was a good sign he could keep the team afloat for a few games.

He's mobile enough to extend plays and accurate enough to run the Dolphins' patented quick-hitting offense. He didn't play with the starters in the preseason, which is why we cautioned overreacting to his play after the team's preseason opener.

Thompson wasn't perfect, but he's a backup for a reason. His performance against the Buccaneers was definitely a step in the right direction.

White was released Sunday morning, so the Dolphins seem to agree that Thompson is the best option behind Tua this season.

Thumbs Up: Curtis Bolton

There's an argument that Bolton was Miami's best defender this preseason. The fourth-year player from Oklahoma recorded a modest six tackles against the Buccaneers, but his film was far more impressive.

Bolton's instincts stood out on tape. He does a nice job filling his gaps in the running game and is respectable in coverage. Bolton doesn't overcommit on play-action fakes, which is quite rare.

The real question is whether Bolton makes the team's 53-man roster. Given he played Friday night, Bolton is likely on the roster bubble. Despite the box score Friday night, Bolton far outperformed Channing Tindall during the preseason.

David Long, Jr., Jordyn Brooks, and Duke Riley are likely locked in. Based on his play, Bolton should be the next linebacker on the depth chart.

Thumbs Up: Malik Washington

Washington's preseason receiver stats were underwhelming. He caught just three passes for 16 yards, including one catch for 7 yards against the Buccaneers.

However, Washington contributed in other ways. He took a well-designed reverse for 40 yards and contributed in the return game. He had a 45-yard kick return and a 28-yard punt return Friday night.

There was a lot of hype about Washington contributing on offense coming into the preseason. Most of it was warranted, given his playstyle meshes perfectly with coach Mike McDaniel's offense.

That said, Washington could provide more value as a utility player early in his career. The new kickoff rules lend themselves to players who can force missed tackles, something Washington is great at and showed off against the Buccaneers.

Washington has proved an effective blocker on receivers' screens and running offensive plays. That could get him on the field early and often, even if he's not hauling in many passes.

Washington's versatility and upside should net him a roster spot.

Thumbs Down: Chop Robinson

Miami's most recent first-round pick was alright Friday night, but his worst game reps came against the Buccaneers starters. It's fair to put more weight on those reps since Robinson is expected to contribute early and often.

He struggled to deal with Buccaneers RT Luke Goedeke's power in the running game, and even TE Cade Otton gave Robinson some trouble. He got sealed off and moved off the line of scrimmage on several early plays.

To Robinson's credit, he did play better against worse competition. He made an excellent open-field tackle on a wide receiver screen and had a nice speed rush that should have counted as a QB pressure.

All the issues on Robinson's tape were present in his college film. He lacks the physical strength to set the edge against an NFL-level offensive lineman.

If the Dolphins want to get the most out of him, they must pick their spots. Leaving Robinson on the field for every snap will only go well for everyone once he gets stronger.

Thumbs Down: Miami's Run Blocking (Again)

This one comes with a huge caveat. The Dolphins mainly sent backups out against the Buccaneers' starting defensive line. That led to the viral clip of Vita Vea collapsing Jack Driscoll into the backfield.

We're not holding that against them too much. Backups losing to starters isn't remotely surprising, especially in the case of Vea, who is a yearly All-Pro contender.

Instead, the more significant issue is how the Dolphins were forced to run the ball against the Buccaneers. Miami's best runs came on outside runs, whether it was Washington's reveres or pitches to Jaylen Wright.

Miami could only generate explosives in the running game by relying on the athleticism of rookie tackle Patrick Paul and the team's pass catchers (receivers, tight ends) to seal off their man on the edge.

It was stuffed every time Miami tried to run the ball in the middle, regardless of who was on the field for the Buccaneers. The Dolphins' offensive line not winning 1-on-1 battles against defensive linemen in the running game was a consistent trend through all three preseason games.

Yes, the team played without Terron Armstead and Aaron Brewer. Still, players like Liam Eichenberg (who didn't play Friday), Lester Cotton, Robert Jones, and Driscoll didn't impress in preseason action.

A good showing against the Buccaneers' starters could have alleviated concerns about the Dolphins' offensive line heading into the season.