What to Watch as the Miami Dolphins Open the Preseason vs. Commanders

After weeks of training camp practices, position battles, and plenty of evaluation, the Miami Dolphins finally get to play a football game.

Miami opens the preseason against the Washington Commanders tonight, giving us our first chance to see this young roster in game action. The final score isn’t what matters most. This is about seeing whether some of what has developed throughout camp begins to show up when Miami lines up against somebody else.

There will be mistakes and plenty that needs to be cleaned up. That comes with a young football team and the first preseason game. But there are also some important things we can start learning tonight.

Here’s what I’ll be watching.

1. Is the Physicality Starting to Show?

Miami has made a clear effort to become a bigger, more physical football team, and that starts at the line of scrimmage. Using its first draft pick on Kadyn Proctor was a major part of that effort, but this is bigger than one player.

The Dolphins want to change the way they play up front, and tonight is our first opportunity to see some of that in a game. The box score won’t tell the entire story. Is the offensive line creating movement and finishing blocks? Are the backs decisive and getting downhill? On defense, can Miami set the edge, get off blocks, and create disruption?

Short-yardage and goal-line situations could be particularly interesting. When everybody knows what’s coming, can Miami still move somebody?

This identity isn’t going to be established in one night. But if physicality is going to become part of what this team is, tonight is our first chance to see some early signs of it.

2. Injuries Create Opportunities

Miami already has injuries creating opportunities, particularly along the defensive line and in the secondary. With Zach Sieler out, there are snaps available inside.

Kenneth Grant is an interesting player to watch in this new system. If Miami allows him to attack more in a one-gap style, can he use that size and explosiveness to get up the field and create problems? Zeek Biggers has caught my attention, too. He’s trimmed down, looks more athletic, and has shown an ability during camp to slip blocks and find his way into the backfield.

The secondary has its own opportunity. Juju Brents is out, while Chris Johnson’s availability is uncertain, putting more attention on the other outside corner spot. Ethan Bonner is a guy I’m watching. We’ve been waiting to see whether he can take that next step, and tonight could give him an opportunity to show he can hold up on the boundary and push for a bigger role.

Nobody has to replace Sieler or answer every question in the secondary tonight. The snaps are there, though, and somebody gets a chance to do something with them.

3. The Rookie Class Gets Its First Test

This might be the most interesting part of the night. Miami needs this rookie class to become a major part of what general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and the new regime are building. We’ve seen encouraging things throughout camp. Now comes the next phase.

Caleb Douglas has been one of the best stories of the summer. He’s made plays in one-on-one drills, team periods, and joint work against Washington. There have been some concentration drops to clean up, but overall, he has continued giving us reasons to be excited about his development. Tonight, we get to see whether it carries over.

Jacob Rodriguez has continued to improve throughout camp and earn opportunities with the first-team defense. Jordyn Brooks called him an ascending player, and that’s a good description of what we’ve seen. The instincts are there. He diagnoses quickly and finds the football. Game action provides the next test.

Trey Moore is another player who fascinates me. He’s been working as the first-team SAM, and his ability as a pass rusher was already something I liked coming out of college. Miami is asking him to do more now—set the edge, play in space, handle coverage responsibilities, and still get after the quarterback. If those pieces start coming together, Hafley could have a really interesting young player.

There are others to watch. Will Kacmarek gets a chance to show his physicality as a blocker and what he can offer in the passing game. Seydou Traore brings athleticism and the ability to threaten the seam, while safety Michael Taaffe gets another opportunity in a young secondary.

Douglas, Rodriguez, and Moore might be three of the names getting the most attention, but this is about the entire group. Tonight is the rookie class’s first real test.

4. Who Helps Chop Robinson Create Pressure?

We know Chop Robinson is going to be a major part of Miami’s pass rush. What remains unclear is where enough of the help comes from.

This isn’t only about sacks. Winning a one-on-one, collapsing the pocket, getting into the backfield, or forcing the quarterback to move can tell us plenty about whether Miami has another pass rusher worth developing.

Moore is part of that conversation, but the preseason also gives seventh-round pick Max Llewellyn and undrafted rookie Mason Reiger opportunities to make an impression. Nobody needs three sacks tonight. A couple of disruptive reps can be enough to make the coaching staff take another look.

Miami is going to need more than Robinson creating pressure. This is an opportunity for somebody else to start emerging.

5. What Does a Jeff Hafley Team Look Like?

Hafley has been a head coach before, spending four seasons at Boston College. Tonight is different. It’s his first game running an NFL sideline, and that makes the entire operation worth watching.

Is Miami organized? Does the team play fast and physical? How does it respond when something goes wrong? Hafley has emphasized toughness and a more physical style, while Sullivan has talked about building the roster from the inside out.

Miami is trying to establish a different identity under Hafley—a more physical style of football. Nobody is going to determine whether that transformation worked based on one preseason game, but tonight gives us the first game-action look at what Hafley and his staff are trying to build.

The Bigger Picture

Miami is young, and this is a rebuild. There are going to be growing pains, so one good play or one bad play shouldn’t become a final judgment. What matters is what these players do with their opportunities and whether they continue improving from here.

The bigger questions will take time to answer. Did Miami hit on enough of these young players? Is the offensive line beginning to change the way this team plays? Does this rookie class continue developing? Can somebody emerge at a position where the Dolphins still need help?

I like Sullivan. I like the football people Miami has put in place, and I like the direction they’re trying to take this thing. Now we get to watch it develop on the field.

We’ve spent weeks evaluating these players throughout training camp. Tonight, we finally get football.