The Miami Dolphins will close their preseason schedule against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ramond James Stadium on Friday night, giving roster bubble players one last chance to make their case to the coaching staff.
Those players who won’t dress for that first game for non-injury reasons pretty much are the locks to make the 53-player roster, and conversely those in the lineup either will be trying to offer more evidence they should be on the 2024 team or at the very least get a bigger role on offense or defense.
With that in mind, here is our list of 10 players to watch in that preseason finale against the Buccaneers:
QB SKYLAR THOMPSON
Because we’re talking about quarterbacks, the battle for the No. 2 job behind Tua Tagovailoa might have been the most scrutinized of training camp. Thompson has gotten the call ahead of Mike White in each of the first two preseason games, which might or might not signal he’s ahead in the competition. If he is, it’s probably not by a large margin and Thompson could solidify that No. 2 spot (if he currently has it) or at the very least his spot on the roster with a good outing against Tampa Bay.
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QB MIKE WHTE
When head coach Mike McDaniel talked this week about putting his backup quarterbacks in unfavorable situations to see how they would respond, that’s applied more to White than Thompson in preseason games because he closed out the first two games. Another factor to consider when it comes to White is the Dolphins could save $3.5 million of cap space if they decide to go with Thompson as the backup and release White. This clearly is a big game for him as well.
TE TANNER CONNER
It’s unclear how many tight ends the Dolphins will keep on the 53-man roster and Conner could convince the Dolphins they need to keep him around if he can have another performance like he had in the preseason opener before he was sidelined by a midsection injury.
OL JACK DRISCOLL
This isn’t about a roster spot, but rather a potential starting opportunity for Driscoll based on McDaniel’s comment before practice in Tampa on Wednesday when he said there still was competition going on the offensive line. Driscoll’s performance in training camp was solid all the way through and he’s also done the job in the preseason games, and maybe another good outing could be the last push he needs.
OL LESTER COTTON
If Driscoll does end up winning a starting job, it’s Cotton who appears the most vulnerable. He started at right guard in the two preseason games after Liam Eichenberg moved to center in the wake of Aaron Brewer’s hand injury but hasn’t necessarily done anything to cement his spot in the starting lineup.
DT BRANDON PILI
As we discussed in our fourth 53-man roster projection, the Dolphins have a lot of question marks on their defensive line beyond Zach Sieler and Calais Campbell and Pili is right in the mix. He’s made some plays in camp and the preseason and already might have locked up his roster spot, though another good outing wouldn’t hurt.
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DT ISAIAH MACK
Mack lacks the ideal bulk for the interior of the defensive line, but he has been active along the defensive line, to the point where he’s put himself in the conversation for a roster spot. But he’s still a long shot, one who needs a big outing against Tampa Bay to push his way in.
LB CHANNING TINDALL
Yes, we’re mentioning Tindall again. While we’re thinking he’s got a spot on the roster because of his special teams work, it might be a stretch to say he’s a lock or that he couldn’t benefit from a good preseason finale. If nothing else, a strong performance maybe could give his defensive coaches more confidence to put him in the lineup.
CB NIK NEEDHAM
It’s difficult to think of a more household name among players who appear on the roster bubble than Needham, who has been with the team since 2019, longer than anybody outside of Durham Smythe and Jason Sanders. Needham finds himself in a logjam in the secondary, whether the Dolphins decide to consider him as a safety or cornerback, or even both. A big preseason finale could be what Needham needs to secure his roster spot.
S MARK PERRY
Perry is at the other end of the spectrum, a rookie free agent who’s put himself in position to be considered for a roster spot but still needs a strong finishing push. We could have mentioned the three rookie free agent cornerbacks here — Jason Maitre, Storm Duck and Isaiah Johnson — but we’e already highlighted them and now it’s time for Perry to get his due respect.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lionel Messi scored twice in a four-goal second half, defender Telasco Segovia added a goal and two assists and defending champion Inter Miami CF rallied to beat Orlando City SC 4-2 on Sunday night, winning for the first time at Inter&Co Stadium.
Messi took a pass from Segovia and scored in the 57th minute to tie it 2-2, and Segovia scored unassisted in the 85th for the lead. Messi put the finishing touch on the victory when he scored off a free kick in the 90th.
“The victory belongs exclusively to the players,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “In the second half, they were a championship team. There were no tactics, nothing like that. There was heart, courage, possession, resilience, commitment. I think the team came out because they were champions last year.
“In the end, the players showed it. This victory is theirs.”
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Messi’s first two goals of the season give him 52 in his first 55 regular-season MLS matches — 51 of them in his past 49 appearances. It also brought the reigning MLS MVP to 898 career goals scored, including 672 for Barcelona and 115 for Argentina.
“He’s the best player to ever play this sport. He’s a leader, and as a leader, he inspires others, but he also often needs to be inspired himself,” Mascherano said of Messi. “When he was driving forward, he had more attacking options, and with so many opportunities, he clearly has the ability to create chances like no one else, and that’s what allowed us to turn the game around.”
Marco Pašalić took a pass from Iván Angulo and scored in the 18th minute to give Orlando City a 1-0 lead. Pašalić has scored in four straight matches against Inter Miami.
Inter Miami players celebrate after scoring a goal against Orlando City in MLS.
Defender Griffin Dorsey set up Martín Ojeda for a goal six minutes later for a 2-0 advantage that stood through halftime.
Inter Miami cut it to 2-1 four minutes into the second half on Mateo Silvetti’s first career goal. Defenders Segovia and Facundo Mura had assists as the 20-year-old forward found the net in his fifth career appearance.
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Segovia had eight goals and six assists as a rookie last season, while Mura collected his first assist in his first season.
Dayne St. Clair, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, turned away three shots — all in the second half of his second start with Inter Miami, but let in a soft goal for Orlando’s first.
Maxime Crépeau had four saves in his second start for Orlando City.
Teenager Colin Guske, 19, will miss Orlando City’s next match after the rookie picked up two yellow cards in his first start — the second one led to his exit in the 88th minute.
Inter Miami, which had never won in its previous nine trips to Orlando, was coming off a 3-0 road loss to LAFC.
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Orlando City swept Inter Miami during the regular season last year and leads the all-time series 8-7-4.
Inter Miami plays D.C. United on Saturday at Audi Field. Orlando City is also on the road with a match against New York City FC.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this recap.
Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Much-needed rain fell across South Florida on Sunday, but the downpour quickly led to flooding and traffic headaches.
“The drainage systems aren’t the best but in ten minutes it will be gone,” one person said.
The rain lasted longer than 10 minutes, flooding several spots along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.
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In one neighborhood, at least a foot of water blocked the entrance. Drivers who attempted to pass through sent waves crashing onto nearby sidewalks.
The heavy rain also snarled traffic on parts of Interstate 95 and on the bridges to and from Miami Beach, slowing drivers trying to get around the area.
“It’s Miami for you. What do they call it, a sun shower?” one driver said.
The weather disrupted Sunday plans for many. The 26th annual Miami Heat Family Festival was cut short after strong winds swept through Dan Paul Plaza, knocking over several tents.
There is no word yet on how or when the Miami Heat plan to make up the family festival.
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Brett Knese
Brett Knese joined the Local 10 News team as a general assignment reporter in March 2025.
Jack and Jill of America’s Miami chapter closed out Black History Month with an inaugural “Roots Across Waters” trip to Nassau, where families explored ancestral sites, honored the Bahamian labor that helped build early Miami, and donated Afro‑Caribbean children’s books to local students.
