The Miami Dolphins preseason opener is in the books, and after a 20-7 loss against the Washington Commanders, fans got a better idea of what to expect in the upcoming season.
Despite the loss, and the struggles of the team’s second and third units, there were some positive developments that should leave the team encouraged. Among those positive developments was the play of an offensive lineman, who the Miami Dolphins recently acquired in a rare trade with the division rival New England Patriots.
Former New England Patriots Player Shines in Miami Dolphins Debut
Last week, the Miami Dolphins acquired offensive lineman Caedan Wallace from the New England Patriots. The Patriots were reportedly planning on waiving the offensive lineman, before the Dolphins opted to trade for him, skipping the waiver wire process.
On Friday, Wallace played 17 snaps against the Commanders, and was Miami’s highest-graded player by Pro Football Focus. He received a stellar 91.0 grade in run blocking and a strong 79.0 rating in pass protection while playing as Miami’s backup right tackle.
Wallace, a former third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, appeared in 10 games for the Patriots over the past two seasons and started two during his rookie season.
Regarding the role he might play with the Dolphins, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post wrote: “Wallace was a right tackle in college and provides insurance for Austin Jackson, who has dealt with injuries throughout his career. He is also capable of playing left tackle or either guard.”
Miami Dolphins Offensive Line
Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins, the team also received some negative news on the offensive line. Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer, who was expected to be among the team’s top backups or even potentially compete for a starting job, was placed on injured reserve.
Additionally, aside from Wallace, most of Miami’s backup offensive linemen struggled during their preseason opener. Regarding the depth on the offensive line, The Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly wrote: “A contributing factor to the struggles Miami’s backup quarterbacks were having is the fact they don’t have adequate protection in front of them. While Ewers was the only quarterback sacked on Friday night, they were under pressure for plenty more plays. Miami also struggled creating running lanes after the starters left the game in the first quarter. The Dolphins need three backup offensive linemen to step forward and show they are worthy of a 53-man roster spot.”
Meanwhile, Dolphins on SI’s Alain Poupart wrote of the team’s depth and Salyer’s injury: “The depth on the offensive line has been a major concern for the Dolphins this summer, and the preseason opener didn’t offer any comfort in that regard. Salyer should have been the Dolphins’ top backup at guard and/or tackle in 2026 after he signed as a free agent in the offseason but instead it’s been one injury issue after another for the former Los Angeles Chargers draft pick. Now he’s done for the season and will spend 2026 on IR unless he’s released with an injury settlement.
With Salyer gone, the most proven backup is tackle Charlie Heck, followed by third-year center Andrew Meyer.”
Hopefully, Wallace can continue to perform well in Miami and relieve some of the concerns regarding Miami’s depth at the position.
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