The Miami Dolphins finished off the preseason with a 22-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday at Sun Life Stadium.
Miami rested the majority of its starters in the exhibition finale. This decision helped the Dolphins escape the preseason without any further injuries. Now, Miami can rest up some more and prepare for the regular season.
With the starters watching from the sidelines, there were roster spots up for grabs with the remaining players. Despite the result being meaningless, this game had plenty of meaning for a few guys.
DeVante Parker saw his first action in a Dolphins uniform. The first-round pick caught one pass for 11 yards. Parker missed most of the preseason due to foot surgery, but is expected to start in the season opener.
McLeod Bethel-Thompson and Josh Freeman split time at quarterback in the loss. Each man threw two interceptions, and made it more likely that Miami will opt to only have two quarterbacks on its roster. Ryan Tannehill and Matt Moore will server as the one and two options respectively.
Running back Jay Ajayi had a solid game with 66 yards on nine touches. Ajayi will serve as depth behind starter Lamar Miller.
The Dolphins will need to make some roster decisions in the coming days. One of those decisions will be choosing a kicker. Incumbent Caleb Sturgis did not play in the finale, and is on the bubble to make the team. Rookie Andrew Franks nailed his only field goal try in the loss.
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Miami's season will get underway in Washington on Sept. 13 at 1 p.m.
