Five Instant Overreactions from Dolphins-Falcons Preseason Finale

Bell also took a hard hit that led to a drop, but that's OK. This is someone who hasn't had contact in quite some time, and it's good to be reminded how physical the game can be.

From what has been seen so far, Miami's young receiving corps looks very promising. With that being said, don't be surprised to see Bell as the leading receiver from Miami, even with missing time.

Dante Trader Jr. Will Be a Culture Setter

Head coach Jeff Hafley has preached that he wants to see his football team be physical. In the game Friday against Atlanta, Dante Trader Jr. showcased that he embraced that message with the plays he made.

On a third-and-short situation, Trader was lined up near the line of scrimmage, read the run, and stuffed it.

Although a majority of the starters sat in the finale, Trader was an exception due to him nursing an injury throughout training camp. When the season gets underway, Trader will be on the field, and making more plays like this will establish him as a key piece on this young defense.

Special Teams Play Could Be a Negative

From what was shown by punter Bradley Pinion throughout the preseason, the Dolphins defense is going to be put in tough positions unless Pinion improves or a change is made.

Against Atlanta, Pinion shanked a punt before halftime that set the Falcons up at their own 35 and also bobbled the snap as a holder on Riley Patterson's field goal attempt that got blocked.

In the second preseason game against the New York Giants, Pinion also shanked a punt that went only 15 yards. That's not to say Pinion only had shanks, as he also recorded punts of well over 50 yards in that same game. Nevertheless, with a young defense against a daunting schedule, setting offenses deep in their own territory would be beneficial.

Malik Willis Cannot Afford to Miss A Single Game

Even with core players on offense being out, such as De'Von Achane, Aaron Brewer and Caleb Douglas, none of the backups answered the call on who the clear backup quarterback will be.

Quinn Ewers struggled immensely in the preseason opener against the Washington Commanders and failed to play another game due to a groin injury. On the other hand, Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski failed to lead a drive that resulted in a touchdown.

With Gronowski at the helm, the offense found itself in the red zone three times and still could not convert a single opportunity into a touchdown. These same quarterbacks also went up against players buried deep in the depth chart and others who will not even make the opposing team's roster.

Outside of the opening drive of the preseason, the offense was an eyesore to watch. This makes keeping Malik Willis healthy even more of a priority, as it will be hard to imagine seeing this team being able to function on offense without him.

The Dolphins Secondary Will Have Major Growing Pains

Miami's secondary is filled with players who have yet to take a pro snap, a few veterans, and players who are young but are trying to prove their worth, such as JuJu Brents.

Couple that with a new defense and players who have mostly never played with one another, and you get miscommunications and breakdowns, like what happened on this Kyle Pitts play that nearly resulted in a touchdown.

The sideline needed to be protected. Instead, Pitts saw a bunch of green grass in front of him and set the Falcons up in the red zone on a drive that ended with a touchdown.

The team as a whole will be a major work in progress, but the secondary is one area that will require a lot of patience and great coaching from Hafley and the defensive staff to get the best out of this group.