Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley shouted out one bright spot from Saturday's preseason loss to the New York Giants .
The Miami Dolphins
' preseason showcase against the New York Giants on Saturday didn't offer a lot of bright spots.
But that doesn't mean there weren't any at all. Perhaps some of the best moments were the kind that don't show up in the box score. But you don't have to take my word for it; you can hear it from the Dolphins' head coach, Jeff Hafley. In his day-after press conference, Hafley credited one defender who played deep into the game as a standout performer.
Aug 22, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive back Dante Trader Jr. (11) tackles New York Giants running back Devin Singletary (26) during the second quarter of a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium. Rich Storry-Imagn Images
"You guys asked if there were any bright spots. I thought (Dante Trader) was one of them. He was physical. He tackled well. I thought his effort was outstanding. He came up in the run game multiple times. He saved us on a play early on in the game where there was a bust in coverage. And he came out of the middle of the field; he got it down, which would have been a huge play if he didn't. I think that puts him right back where he left off, in a great spot to be in the mix and compete for that starting position. But I was proud of him last night."
- Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley on safety Dante Trader Jr.
Trader logged nearly 40 snaps on Saturday night, surprisingly playing deep into the game despite being a presumed starter. But Trader, who has been banged up over the past week or so, clearly needed the work, per Hafley. He's well positioned to be an impactful player on the defense, but this now marks two consecutive training camps with missed time for the second-year safety out of Maryland.
That, stacked on top of a new scheme this season, gives you plenty of reason to see him collecting reps as the rest of the starters sit. But Trader did look like a different caliber of player than those he shared the field with late in the contest - which is exactly what you'd hope for someone vying for a starting role. Now that Trader Jr. is back on the field, he'll need to stay on it. If he does, the rest should take care of itself. His coach seemed to like what he saw on Saturday night.
Miami Dolphins News
Kyle Crabbs August 10, 2026
This article was originally published on A to Z Sports. Read the full story here: One Miami Dolphins defender made the most of a surprisingly large workload Saturday night
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