The Dolphins finished the 2025 preseason with a 14-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The attention now shifts to the final 53-man roster and who will officially make the team.
There have been a number of position group battles going on in the midst of training camp, joint practices, and the preseason. Some of these battles were for starting positions and others for useful rotational roles. The punter competition was already decided after two games with Jake Bailey outperforming Ryan Stonehouse enough to earn the nod for his third year as the Dolphins punter.
Here’s how five other battles on the depth chart seem to have shaken out in August:
No. 2 RB: Jaylen Wright vs. Ollie Gordon II
Winner: Ollie Gordon II
With Raheem Mostert no longer part of the Dolphins backfield, the running backs group will look different this season. De’Von Achane is entering his third year and will undoubtedly be the featured back on the Miami offense, but Mike McDaniel has consistently used at least two, sometimes three, running backs in his offense.
Last season, Wright got a chance to see the field on numerous occasions as a rookie. He appeared in 15 games and rushed for 249 yards. After the release of Mostert, it appeared that Wright’s time to step into a larger role had arrived this season. However, he struggled mightily in the preseason, totaling just 19 yards on 13 attempts for an abysmal 1.4 yards per carry. Wright did not suit up for the final preseason game after suffering an undisclosed injury during joint practice with the Jaguars.
Behind Wright to begin training camp was free agent acquisition Alexander Mattison, who earned some early momentum in training camp until he suffered a season-ending neck injury during the preseason opener in Chicago. At that point, the battle for No. 2 on the depth chart was between Wright and rookie Ollie Gordon II.
Gordon produced a much better preseason, racking up 126 yards and a touchdown on 26 attempts for an average of 4.8 yards per carry. Of course, Gordon’s production has been primarily against backups and third-string players, but the discrepancy in efficiency between him and Wright brings about the potential of a position battle.
Even if Gordon doesn’t get the nod over Wright to begin the season, he has certainly done enough to earn a chance at regular season snaps. With injuries to both Achane and Wright leading into Week 1, McDaniel could be further incentivized to see what Gordon can do on the field early in the regular season.
Nos. 1, 2, and 3 CBs
Winners: Storm Duck, Jack Jones, and Mike Hilton
In the aftermath of the Jalen Ramsey trade, release of Kendall Fuller, and season-ending injury to Kader Kohou, the Dolphins will be looking at an entirely new group of starting cornerbacks in 2025.
Second-year corner Storm Duck appears to be a lock for one of the starting jobs. Duck earned some significant playing time during his rookie year, appearing in 14 games with three starts, totaling 35 tackles and four passes defended.
Mike Hilton will likely assume the role of nickel corner since he has been a starter in that position for the Steelers and Bengals during his career. Hilton, 31, was signed shortly after Kohou’s injury which suggests it was a targeted acquisition by the Miami front office to immediately fill the void.
The other outside corner position is where it becomes an interesting decision with multiple players to choose from. There are a couple of experienced veteran options in Jack Jones and Kendall Sheffield, or some younger up-and-coming options like rookie Jason Marshall Jr. and Cam Smith. Ethan Bonner was also having an impressive preseason before suffering a hamstring injury that will keep him out weeks.
Marshall Jr. has been a standout performer in recent weeks and recorded six tackles against the Lions, one behind the line of scrimmage. However, his emergence has been due to his capabilities in the slot, which would have him shift to the nickel position instead of playing on the outside.
Ultimately, Jones has the most starting experience and it’s not close. He started in 16 out of 17 games for the Raiders last season, finishing with three interceptions, 69 tackles, three tackles for loss, and 16 passes defended. One of Jones’ interceptions was a 53-yard pick-six. It has been tough to get a gage for where the Miami secondary is at chemistry-wise with so many rotating pieces playing against backup quarterbacks, which could indicate the best move would be to choose the experienced veteran in Jones.
No. 5 WR: Tahj Washington vs. Erik Ezukanma vs. Dee Eskridge
Winner: Tahj Washington
The top four wideouts for the Dolphins are clearly set with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Malik Washington. The Dolphins will likely keep five or six receivers on the roster, making the last couple spots on the depth chart a tight competition.
Tahj Washington is entering his second year after spending his rookie season on IR. He led the way for the Dolphins in the preseason opener with 53 receiving yards on three catches against the Bears. Washington remained an efficient target over the next two games, catching four passes in each contest. In total, Washington recorded 11 receptions on 14 targets.
Dee Eskridge brings the most regular season experience of the three. The former Seattle Seahawks second-round pick joined the Dolphins last season and appeared in six games. Eskridge’s best preseason outing was against the Lions where he caught three passes for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Erik Ezukanma is entering his fourth year, but still trying to find his way on the Dolphins roster. The Dolphins selected Ezukanma in the fourth round of the 2022 draft during Mike McDaniel’s first season as head coach. While his skillset clearly fits the mold for what McDaniel’s offense does, Ezukanma has spent the majority of his NFL career either on the practice squad or injured reserve.
While each have compelling cases, if the preseason decided who deserves the fifth wide receiver spot, Tahj Washington was the most consistent and efficient. His play showed why he fits what the Dolphins offense does and could be a reliable rotational piece during the regular season. He showed the ability to be used in a multitude of facets, both in the short yard plays and downfield.
EDGE: Derrick McLendon vs. Grayson Murphy vs. Mohamed Kamara
Winners: Derrick McLendon and Grayson Murphy
The Dolphins edge group is loaded with talent entering this season. Chop Robinson, Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, and the recently signed Matt Judon headline arguably the most stacked position on this Dolphins roster. There’s depth at the position too.
There have been a couple interesting prospects at the edge position who have shown out during this training camp and preseason. Grayson Murphy and Derrick McLendon have been consistently getting after the quarterback, each recording two sacks in the Dolphins’ three preseason games.
Second-year pass rusher Mohamed Kamara has been dealing with a concussion, making him unable to showcase his progression heading into his second season. That could put him on the chopping block because there simply aren’t enough slots for everyone.
While all three of these players could feasibly make the roster, the addition of Judon could be enough to cost one (or even two) of them their spot. As it currently stands, Kamara would likely be the odd man out in this position battle.
No. 2 QB: Zach Wilson vs Quinn Ewers
Winner: Zach Wilson
While Ewers had some impressive moments in the preseason, the Dolphins will likely roll with the veteran to back up Tua Tagovailoa during the regular season.
Adding Wilson was a strategic move by the Dolphins to find a quarterback who fits Mike McDaniel’s offense. Last season’s performances by Skylar Thompson, Tyler Huntley, and Tim Boyle were atrocious enough to force the Dolphins to throw a $6 million deal to Wilson.
Wilson struggled with some accuracy issues this preseason and took some untimely sacks, which sparked the question if Ewers is the better man for the job. Against Detroit, Ewers completed 11 of his 17 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns, producing a passer rating of 123.7. He led the Dolphins on three scoring drives which helped them secure a 24-17 win.
However, at the end of the day Tagovailoa staying on the field is paramount for the Dolphins’ playoff hopes. The battle between Wilson and Ewers wasn’t necessarily about who performed better in the preseason, but who is the better fit to back up Tagovailoa. Ewers showcased some real potential, but Wilson’s the more ideal backup quarterback to play right away.
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