MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins today announced they were awarded cornerback Javaris Davis from Kansas City and have waived/non-football injury tight end Michael Roberts. The Dolphins also placed the following three players on the reserve/COVID-19* list: long snapper Blake Ferguson, defensive tackle Benito Jones and cornerback Cordrea Tankersley.
Davis originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with Kansas City on April 30, 2020. Davis was a four-year letterman (2016-19) and three-year starter at Auburn, where he played in 49 career games with 35 starts. He totaled 150 tackles (115 solo), eight interceptions, 32 passes defensed and one forced fumble in his career.
Roberts signed with the Dolphins on Feb. 9, 2020. He spent two seasons (2017-18) in Detroit, where he played 23 games with five starts. Roberts had 13 receptions for 146 yards (11.2 avg.) and three touchdowns. Roberts originally entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick (127th overall) by Detroit in the 2017 NFL draft.
Ferguson was a sixth-round pick (185th overall) by the Dolphins in the 2020 NFL draft. He was a four-year letterman (2016-19) at LSU, where he played in 53 consecutive games and became the first long snapper in school history to be named a permanent team captain. As a senior in 2019, Ferguson helped his team win the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Jones was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted college free agent on April 29, 2020. He was a four-year letterman (2016-19) and three-year starter at Mississippi. Jones played in all 48 games of his collegiate career with 36 starts. As a senior in 2019, he totaled 30 tackles (19 solo) and 5.5 sacks, earning second-team All-SEC honors.
Tankersley has played in 17 games with 11 starts for the Dolphins since joining the team as a third-round pick (97th overall) in the 2017 NFL draft. As a rookie in 2017, Tankersley started 11 games, recording 31 tackles (24 solo) and seven passes defensed. He was a four-year letterman (2013-16) and two-year starter at Clemson, where he earned first-team All-American honors as a senior in 2016.
*This new reserve list category was created for a player who either tests positive for COVID-19 or who has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person or persons. If a player falls into either of these categories, their club is required to immediately place the player on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Per agreed upon NFL-NFLPA policy, clubs are not permitted to comment on a player's medical status other than referring to roster status. Clubs may not disclose whether a player is in quarantine or is positive for COVID-19.
