Mike White named Miami Dolphins backup quarterback
MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel named Mike White the team’s backup quarterback Monday, ahead of the team’s regular-season opener at the Los Angeles Chargers.
White was in a training camp competition for the No. 2 duties with Skylar Thompson. He missed the preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars due to concussion protocol after he barely played in the previous exhibition game, at the Houston Texans.
“I thought Mike White and Skylar competed all the way until the last rep,” McDaniel said. “They both made just cases.”
White was brought in to compete for the backup job behind Tua Tagovailoa, although he was paid in free agency like a solidified No. 2 quarterback. White, a Broward County native who attended high school at University School, signed for two years and $8 million in the offseason.
In the preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons, White was 9 of 14 for 85 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. He got the offense moving in the open field but was 0 for 3 in the red zone.
White came over from the New York Jets in the offseason. There, he was under offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who ran a similar scheme to what McDaniel runs in Miami.
Last year, Thompson appeared in seven games for the Dolphins as the team’s rookie third-string quarterback, making two regular-season starts, plus starting the playoff loss at Buffalo. He was 60 of 105 for 534 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions and a 62.2 passer rating. He completed 57.1% of his passes and was sacked six times.
In the postseason game against the Bills, he was 18 of 45 for 220 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Although McDaniel named his backup quarterback Monday, he was not yet willing to announce his starting left guard, which has been a competition between newcomer Isaiah Wynn and incumbent Liam Eichenberg.
On the injury front, McDaniel said wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (midsection), safety Brandon Jones (knee) and running back De’Von Achane (shoulder) are practicing Monday. Although left tackle Terron Armstead won’t get practice reps Monday because of his lower left leg injury, McDaniel offered that the four-time Pro Bowler is “progressing well.”
Captains announced
The Dolphins announced their seven captains for the 2023 season Monday morning: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, left tackle Terron Armstead, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, cornerback Xavien Howard, safety Jevon Holland and fullback Alec Ingold.
Of the seven, six were captains in 2022. The new one is Ingold, who became the NFL’s richest fullback when he signed his Thursday. He replaced former linebacker Elandon Roberts, who went to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason.
—The Dolphins signed wide receiver Robbie Chosen back to the team on the practice squad and released defensive end Randy Charlton from the practice squad.
