Ten Players to Watch in Preseason Game vs. Washington ... And How They Performed

The 2024 draft picks and selected veterans were in the spotlight against the Washington Commanders on Saturday night and the results were mixed

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Erik Ezukanma (18) catches the football against Washington Commanders cornerback A.J. Woods (38) during the third quarter of a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins continued their 2024 preseason when they defeated the Washington Commanders at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night, the highlight of the evening being the performance of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the first-team offense.

The game, though, again belonged to younger players looking to secure a roster spot or convince the coaches to give them a bigger role in the upcoming season than originally planned.

Before the game we listed 10 players to watch for this preseason matchup against the Commanders, so now it's time to revisit how each of those players performed.

DOLPHINS OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

QB MIKE WHITE

Before the game: One key question with the Dolphins three weeks before the regular season starts is whether they have a legit battle for the backup quarterback position, as head coach Mike McDaniel suggested before the preseason opener. While we still maintain that incumbent Mike White will very likely get the job again, the fact remains that he hasn't looked great this summer, and he certainly didn't look good in the preseason opener. But White also was operating behind the third-team offensive line and with three wide receivers who weren't even with the team at the start of July. White figures to get better circumstances against Washington, and he must deliver a much-improved performance.

During the game: Things started off well enough for White, who completed 7 of his 10 pass attempts in the third quarter after coming in for Skylar Thompson, including his pretty 35-yard hook-up with Erik Ezukanma. But it was mostly downhill in the fourth quarter when the other players on offense continued to be those further and further down the depth chart. White wasn't helped by his teammates, though he wasn't blameless, his worst mistake coming when he misfired on a swing pass to Je'Quan Burton in the backfield, resulting in an 8-yard loss when the ball went out of bounds and the play was ruled a lateral. Worst of all perhaps for White was the fact that Thompson again got the call before him.

WR ERIK EZUKANMA

Before the game: The 2022 fourth-round pick's road back from his neck injury hit a speed bump when he was sidelined early in camp, but he was back last week and involved in team periods in practice. That would suggest he'll play against Washington, and he needs to deliver when his number is called because he's playing catch-up when it comes to trying to make the 53-man roster.

During the game: Wow, talk about making a statement! The Erik Ezukanma we saw against Washington was the one who looked so promising at times in his first two training camps with Miami, the one whose potential is so intriguing. Ezukanma led the Dolphins with five catches for 65 yards, including that 35-yard pass from White. His best play, though, probably was his 6-yard on an end-around when he shook off a Washington defender draped over him in the backfield to make something out of what should have been a significant loss. This was the type of performance that's going to make the Dolphins think long and hard before exposing Ezukanma to waivers.

TE HAYDEN RUCCI

Before the game: The Dolphins already have a good young blocking tight end on the roster in Julian Hill, and the question is whether there's room for a second one. Rucci, the rookie free agent and the son of former New England Patriots offensive lineman Todd Rucci was impressed in that department this summer, and the question now is whether he can do enough to earn a spot on the 53.

During the game: Rucci did a solid job in this game, catching the two passes thrown in his direction, both of them for modest gains. His blocking again was solid. Where that puts Rucci in his quest to make the 53 is tough to gauge, but he certainly didn't hurt his cause.

T PATRICK PAUL

Before the game: We featured Paul in this spot before the preseason opener, and he delivered a performance that matched or topped any expectations. The challenge is to do it again against a group of players who will likely be higher on the depth chart than what he saw against the Atlanta Falcons.

During the game: We cautioned all week on the All Dolphins Podcast not to overreact to Paul's impressive performance against Atlanta, and we were proven right. While Paul certainly didn't have a horrible night, it wasn't nearly as clean as the previous week. The one really bad play came when linebacker Jamin Davis took advantage of Paul setting up too wide in pass protection and easily beat him inside to nail Mike White in the back for a sack. Worse, White fell on the side of guard Sean Harlow's knee, knocking him out of the game. The bottom line here is that Paul remains a very good prospect, but nobody should be rushing to put him in the lineup.

RB JAYLEN WRIGHT

Before the game: This falls under the same category as Paul. Wright was dynamic in the game against the Atlanta Falcons, to the point that many are already projecting a decent role for him as a rookie in the regular season. Let's see what he can do against Dan Quinn's defense.

During the game: There would be no repeat for Wright because he was among those players kept out of action against the Commanders, the result of a minor injury he sustained during the joint practice Thursday.

DOLPHINS DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

EDGE CHOP ROBINSON

Before the game: After sitting out the preseason opener against Atlanta because he was dealing with a minor physical issue, it's all systems go for Robinson against the team his father grew up rooting for. Robinson said he'd have family and friends from the Washington area in the stands at Hard Rock Stadium. He'll want to put on a show, even though his focus will be (or should be) on carrying out his assignments.

During the game: This game showcase exactly where Robinson stands right now, an explosive edge defender who can make plays with his athletic ability but one whose eagerness can be used against him. The good part here was a tackle for loss when he broke through the line very quickly, the bad when Washington had three runs of 10 yards or more in a four-play span, all of them going at Robinson. While he did set the edge on one of those plays, he was too far wide and allowed running back Brian Robinson Jr. to get inside of him with speed. This is where Robinson has to clean up his game to be a factor early in his rookie season.

EDGE QUINTON BELL

Before the game: After being one of the biggest stories of training camp, Bell was fairly quiet in the joint practices with the Falcons and then had an uneventful preseason opener. If he hopes to earn a significant role in defense, Bell needs to go back to making himself noticeable the way he did in those early camp practices.

During the game: According to the official gamebook, Bell played 18 snaps on defense and 12 more on special teams and was credited with one tackle and one assist. The tackle came at the end of QB Jeff Driskel's 41-yard scramble and the assist came on a run for no gain that was clogged up by other defenders. The reality is that Bell simply wasn't noticeable again.

LB CHANNING TINDALL

Before the game: Yes, we have to keep mentioning Tindall, if for no other reason than his draft status. The 2022 third-round pick had a solid performance against Atlanta, and he needs more like that to solidify his roster spot.

During the game: Tindall certainly was given a good look in this game, with his snap count ranking third on the Dolphins defense. He was credited for being on four tackles, the highlight being sharing a sack with rookie safety Mark Perry after Perry flushed Driskel out of the pocket and Tindall was there to meet him. Overall, it was a decent outing for Tindall, but probably not much of a needle-mover in terms of his roster prospects.

CB ISAIAH JOHNSON

Before the game: We mentioned fellow rookie free agent cornerback Jason Maitre in this spot last week, and Maitre had another good outing to continue his really impressive summer. And the good thing for the Dolphins is that Isaiah Johnson has been just as remarkable. Based on what we've seen, we'd suggest that both of those players have a future in the NFL.

During the game: Storm Duck was one of the three rookie free agent cornerbacks who had the most noticeable performance against Washington, though Johnson didn't do anything to hurt his cause. He played a total of 49 snaps between defense and special teams and didn't have any plays that stood out positively or negatively.

CB CAM SMITH

Before the game: Smith, however, is the most intriguing of the Dolphins' young cornerbacks. As we chronicled this week, Smith finds himself with a great opportunity to make some headway for a bigger role with Ethan Bonner sidelined by an injuryand Smith flashed in practice both Wednesday and in the joint practice Thursday. Remember that Smith was impressive for most of his rookie training camp before falling into oblivion, and it could be that he just needed more seasoning (and a new defensive coordinator) to unlock his potential.

During the game: After a rough first drive that included missing a third-down tackle that turned a short gain into a 20-yard pick-up for Washington receiver Terry McLaurin, Smith played well. He did the job with his tackling, including stopping tight end Jeremy Bates after a third-down reception and also had blanket coverage on a deep incompletion down the right sideline. The disappointing thing for Smith was his night ending prematurely when he sustained an apparent hamstring injury while covering a punt in the fourth quarter.