Day 10 of Miami Dolphins training camp was the last full practice before the team traveled to Washington, and it brought a clear split of strengths: Malik Willis drove the passing game while Jason Marshall Jr. helped the defense answer back. The Dolphins also got strong work from their front and linebackers, with the kind of practice that makes the next two days matter more.
That timing is why this practice matters now. The Dolphins were set for a joint practice with the Commanders on Wednesday, then a preseason opener on Friday night at Northwest Stadium, so Monday’s session was the final full chance to sharpen details before the work shifted to another opponent. Head Coach Jeff Hafley said the point was to find out what players can get away with in practice and to worry about the process of getting better, not comfort or the result. His message was simple: step out of your comfort zone.
Marshall had two pass breakups, the most visible defensive plays of the day, and the rest of the unit kept pressure on the run game by fitting gaps and creating chances for linebackers to navigate blockers. Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers each had a stop at the line of scrimmage, while Jordyn Brooks, Jacob Rodriguez, Kyle Louis and Trey Moore made plays around the ball. For a defense trying to carry that work into a more competitive setting, Monday was the kind of day coaches want to see before the schedule tightens.
Willis, though, kept the offense moving through the air. He completed a difficult throw over the middle to rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas after Robert Beal Jr. cut off his boot to the right on the play. A.J. Henning was the day’s other steady target, catching passes on all four one-on-one reps, including a deep touchdown from Willis. He also added a deep shot from Quinn Ewers in team drills and a tough catch in traffic, which gave the passing work a cleaner edge than the defense would have liked.
That is the part that leaves the next step interesting. The Dolphins can point to both a defense that finished plays and an offense that found answers through Willis, but Wednesday’s joint practice will be a far better test of how much of Monday travels with them. If the same players keep showing up in those moments, the first preseason game will matter less as a scoreboard event than as a sorting exercise for roles, reps and momentum.
