Finsmob Unleashed

The Dolphins finally host a Preseason football game, and mercifully we won’t have to listen to another awful broadcast in which it seems as if our team isn’t even involved in the game. This time, the commentary will be all about our Dolphins, for better or for worse. Look, there are some things to like about our team, but this is the final Preseason game and most likely this game won’t feature very many starters or potentially even 2nd string players, this is mostly a battle for players to make the 53 man roster and avoid being cut.

The Dolphins lost a RB early on in Alexander Mattison. That will give 2nd year RB Jaylen Wright a chance to step up and show he was worth trading a 2025 3rd RD pick to take him last year. Wright saw very little action last season with a paltry 68 carries for 249 yards (3.7 YPC). #1 on the RB depth chart is De’Von Achane who is banged up at the moment but likely to play Week 1 against the Colts, or at least HC Mike McDaniel believes he will be able to play. Either way, Wright should be the #2 back, with rookie Ollie Gordon as the #3 RB. We may see a decent amount of Wright and Gordon, as well as newcomers Mike Boone and Aaron Shampklin. What looked like a strength with Mattison running hard now looks like it could end up being a liability if Wright doesn’t get it into gear. These guys need to be ready, know their blocking responsibilities and be ready to play a lot of football if Achane either can’t go in initially or his injury flares up during the game.

As far as QB, with the good play of rookie QB Quinn Ewers, 7th RD pick (#231) in 2025, you’d have to think we’re going to carry 3 QB’s. Last year’s fiasco when Tua went down won’t be duplicated this year if Tua gets hurt, and realistically, it’s not IF, it’s WHEN. They simply can’t be embarrassed and caught with their pants down like they did last season bringing in multiple practice squad QB’s from other teams and starting them a week later. That’s a big roster spot, having the necessity to carry 3 QB’s. You have to think we’ll carry backup veteran Zach Wilson, and also keep the rookie who shows promise (Quinn Ewers), so there you have it, 3 QB’s. If we dare to put Quinn Ewers on the PS, he’d surely be gone quickly.

The defensive front 7, potentially the strength of this team just got a an early Christmas present. Veteran pass rusher Matt Judon joins an already formidable group of pass rushers in LB’s Jaelan Phillips, Chop Robinson, and Bradley Chubb. Judon signing will allow us 1 less young player, so one of Quinton Bell, Cameron Goode, Grayson Murphy, Derrick McClendon or Mo Kamara will make the roster, while the others hope to get put on the PS. I also so potentially a strength because although we may like what we’ve seen from LDE Kenneth Grant, and even further down the depth chart in Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers and RDE Matt Dickerson, we haven’t sen any of these guys in real NFL action yet and they are unknowns. Remember last season, we had a future Hall of Famer in Calais Campbell, a 37 year old dynamo. He was great for us last season, and we don’t know if Grant or even the combination of Grant and Biggers will be equal to what we had in Campbell, and that’s a pretty fair question. Plus, you have to truly consider the health of this group. Can Jaelan Phillips stay healthy, Bradley Chubb? Like Tua, these guys are difficult to rely on or expect an entire season put of.

The inside LB crew is stout, very happy with what we have, but you have to figure we carry only 4 here. Jordyn Brooks and Willie Gay will be the starters and Tyrell Dodson and KJ Britt the backups. I really like what we have, but we won’t have much depth there, especially carrying 3 QB’s. OLB Matt Judon may play a large role here, especially if there’s an injury to one of our starters. It’s also possible he earns more playing time and either Jaelan Phillips or Bradley Chubb become more situational pass rushers to hopefully keep them healthy, we’ll have to see how this works out.

Then we go to Safety where a lot of you are excited about the return of the great Minkah Fitzpatrick. I don’t share your enthusiasm, and to be honest, I don’t think Minkah Fitzpatrick does either. I’m sure he was stung by the trade, big time. That could potentially give him and edge to show Pittsburgh that they made a big mistake, or he could sulk and complain that he doesn’t like being used in various different roles like he did the first time he was here.It seems as if Iffy Melifonwu will join Fitzpatrick as the Strong Safety. Safety is another position where a nice young player will be cut, because we have a glut of young players with potential here in Patrick McMorris, Dante Trader Jr., who will be competing with veteran Ashtyn Davis as well as our own Elijah Campbell.

Then we go to CB, and this game will probably tell us a little bit more about what we will look like back there. Storm Duck and Kendall Sheffield will likely be our outside starting CB’s. Veteran Mike Hilton will be the nickel corner. It’s still possible there could be a change, because veteran Jack Jones might just steal a spot here. Ethan Bonner could also potentially end up starting, but he’s banged up now so we don’t know when he will be available. There’s also rookie NB Jason Marshall and the ever present Cam Smith, who I believe will have exhausted his opportunities and may finally get the axe. You can only be so patient, and Cam Smith has yet to thrust himself into a position where he’s got to be on the roster.

The WR group could prove to be an interesting situation. We know the top 3, Hill, Waddle and Washington (Malik). The depth here is uncertain. It seems like Dee ESkridge could make it, and you’d have to think Nick Westbrook-Ikhine should be safe, but is it possible WR Erik Ezukanma gets the nod over Ikhine who hasn’t really shown a lot since he’s been here? I know 3rd string Qb Quinn Ewers loves him some Theo Wease, but he’s a longshot. There’s also Tahj Washington, so there will be at least a couple of surprises. Not sure if we carry 5 or 6 Wr’s and again, carrying that 3rd QB hurts here.

Special teams will be the same K and P as last season, the decision has been made to keep P Jake bailey over Ryan Stonehouse, so that’s that. Jason Sanders had a great season and happy to have him back. WR Malik Washington will serve as the primary KR/PR, likely backed up by WR Dee Eskridge, if he makes the cut. Tyreek Hill will be used in certain situations as well.

We’ll see how some of these battles shake out tomorrow against the Jags at Hard Rock tomorrow. Injuries of course will make some decisions for Grier and MM, they always do unfortunately. I look forward at a minimum to hearing the home broadcast so we can actually hear about OUR team and not about the Bears or the Lions, Oh my!

GO DOLPHINS!!!