The door is open for receivers trying to make the Miami Dolphins.

Sixth-round pick Malik Washington is making the most of it.

Washington turned Friday night’s preseason finale against Tampa Bay, a 24-14 Miami loss, into his personal showcase with a series of eye-opening plays.

Washington returned a punt 28 yards.

He then took a handoff around end for 40.

Next, he had Miami’s best kickoff return of the preseason, going 45 yards.

It was a statement evening for a player trying to make a team that in recent days saw receivers River Cracraft and Erik Ezukanma injured. That’s in addition to Odell Beckham Jr., who has been on the physically unable to perform list.

It might be enough to win a job as we turn our attention to the Sept. 8 season opener vs. visiting Jacksonville.

Other takeaways as Miami ends the preseason 2-1:

Skylar Thompson deserves backup role over Mike White

Skylar Thompson, not Mike White, should be Tua Tagovailoa's backup.

Thompson finished the preseason 35 of 61 for 346 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and a 76.3 passer rating,

White was 20 of 43 for 179 yards, no TDs or INTs and a 58.2 rating.

White narrowly escaped giving up a strip/sack/fumble for a touchdown in the second quarter when Earnest Brown got the best of rookie tackle Patrick Paul and Antonio Grier ended up in the end zone with the football.

A review showed it was an incomplete pass.

But White held onto the ball way longer than you’ll see when it’s in the hands of Tagovailoa. With a patchwork line, it was inviting trouble that a veteran such as White knows he must avoid.

White passed for 37 yards in the first half. He was replaced midway through the second quarter by Thompson, who had 17 yards after one throw and threw two TD passes.

Unfortunately, a 17-yard pass was to Anthony Schwartz, who injured a knee on the play and needed help off the field. Later in the quarter, so did defensive lineman Brandon Pili, who was making a strong bid for a roster spot.

Will Mike McDaniel ever catch a break on challenges?

For what it’s worth, the Bucs opened with a touchdown drive of 70 yards, capped by Rachaad White’s 4-yard run. The key play was a 28-yard pass from Baker Mayfield to Jalen McMillan, who slipped behind Siran Neal. Problem was, Millan caught the ball extremely close to the sideline. The Bucs rushed to get the next play off but Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel beat them to the punch with his toss of the red flag.

Minutes later, McDaniel wished the officials hadn’t granted him the challenge. Replays showed it was a legal catch.

No need to mention McDaniel’s poor record when it comes to challenges, but given this is preseason and given how close the call was, it was worth a shot.

Jon Embree gets a chance in charge, and that’s a very good thing

It’s late August. Face it. A few weeks ago, the idea of preseason football sounded OK, probably because it had been months since we had football and even pretend football is better than no football.

Not anymore. We’re ready for the real thing.

But despite our dislike of these exhibitions (especially since they’re included in season tickets), one redeeming quality becoming en vogue is head coaches giving their top assistants a taste of being the grand pooh-bah.

Friday night, McDaniel was handing over control in the second half to Jon Embree, his tight ends coach and assistant head coach, although McDaniel continued to call offensive plays.

Embree showed some fire after tight end Hayden Rucci caught a pass on fourth-and-2 for 9 yards. Embree apparently thought Rucci should have gotten even more out of it.

These arrangements will only help give deserving assistants – especially minority candidates – exposure in their quest to get a chance at head coaching jobs. The NFL’s desire for inclusion is one reason it requires assistant coaches to regularly take turns before the media.

It’s a win-win deal.

Alec Ingold chops it up with broadcasters

With so few regulars playing and so many backups just fighting for the final roster spots, the TV broadcast needed a spark.

Pro Bowl fullback Alec Ingold provided it, donning the headset and chatting with team broadcasters Steve Goldstein and Kim Bokamper during the second quarter.

Asked about McDaniel’s infamously long play calls, Ingold cracked, “I think they’re paragraphs, not lines.”

In real time, he speculated that a fumble return by Tampa Bay might be overturned – and he was right.

Then, Rucci – who like Ingold is from Wisconsin – caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Thompson.

“Rooch! Rooch!” Ingold yelled.

Ingold, who famously collected the football after Raheem Mostert’s record touchdown run last season, immediately noticed that Rucci needed a similar assist, saying someone should “get that man the football.”

Ingold disclosed that running backs “grade” the TD spike by whether the ball ricochets off the TV screen.

Top that, Tom Brady.

This and that …

Ryan Hayes went down with an injury in the first quarter, forcing Bayron Matos, part of the NFL’s international pathway program, in at right tackle. Matos immediately gave up two, including a sack. But he’s learning. … LB Channing Tindall, who has shown improvement, recorded a QB hit while rushing straight up the middle. … Rookie CB Storm Duck, who has had a good camp, gave up a TD. … Rookie CB Jason Maitre, undrafted out of Wisconsin, leaped high for an athletic pass breakup. ... Tindall led Miami with 12 tackles.

Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal.

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Instant takeaways: Malik Washington stars as Miami Dolphins lose finale