If the Miami Dolphins quarterback position was neck-and-neck, that means all things between Mike White and Skylar Thompson should be equal. Things no longer look equal.
White started in the preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but didn’t look good. To be fair, he played against some of the Buccaneers starters. His decision-making wasn’t good, and his pocket presence was non-existent. White needed to have a good game to make there be no questions for Mike McDaniel, but instead, he gave Skylar Thompson the opening that he needed.
Thompson came in midway through the second quarter and looked better than he has all preseason. It appeared something may have clicked finally for the third-team quarterback. Fans haven’t quite rallied behind either QB but the Dolphins should be nodding in agreement that Thompson stepped up and showed something that White has to do.
On Thompson’s first series, he led the team to a touchdown, but that’s not what set him apart; it was his poise in the pocket and his decision-making. Something that White did not show.
Thompson has a long way to go and the competition between the two may not completely be decided. However, of the two, Thompson has done enough to show that he is at least as good as White.
That is important because the Dolphins can save a little money by releasing White. Fans wanted the locally grown talent to work out but so far, it isn’t. White should have been good in this system. Perhaps his problem is that he is playing with a pieced together offense and has yet to play with any of the starters on offense. Thompson did against the Falcons, at least some of them.
While there is still more to weigh before final cuts are made, Thompson may have pulled ahead.