MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have signed the following seven players to reserve/future contracts: defensive tackle Josiah Bronson, offensive lineman Lester Cotton, cornerback Tino Ellis, linebacker Cameron Goode, wide receiver Braylon Sanders, tackle Kion Smith and defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman.
Bronson spent the 2022 season on Miami's practice squad and was elevated once, playing in Miami's Week 17 game at New England. He played in seven NFL games in 2021– six for New Orleans and one for Cleveland. Bronson has career totals of 12 tackles (eight solo), including one quarterback hit and one tackle for loss. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with New Orleans on May 10, 2021. Bronson played collegiately at Washington.
Cotton joined Miami's practice squad on Dec. 20, 2022 and was elevated for the AFC Wild Card game at Buffalo, where he started at left guard. He has played in 14 career regular-season games with one start, all for the Raiders. Cotton appeared in 10 games with one start for Las Vegas during the 2022 season before he was waived on Dec. 15, 2022. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with Oakland on May 3, 2019. Cotton played collegiately at Alabama where he was a regular starter for the 2017 national championship team alongside current Dolphins teammates Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle.
Ellis signed to Miami's practice squad on Oct. 10, 2022 after spending most of training camp with the Dolphins. He also spent time on Miami's practice squad in 2020 and 2021. In the spring of 2022, Ellis played for the USFL's Michigan Panthers, appearing in nine games and recording 35 tackles (26 solo) and one interception. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with New Orleans on April 29, 2020 following a collegiate career at Maryland.
Goode spent the season on Miami's practice squad after he was drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh round (224th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He lettered five times (2017-21) and was a three-year starter at California, where he earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors as a graduate student in 2021. In his collegiate career, Goode totaled 170 tackles (97 solo), 21.0 sacks, two interceptions, 12 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Sanders first signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted college free agent on May 13, 2022 and spent the season on Miami's practice squad. He was elevated three times this season, appearing in three games and catching two passes for 17 yards (8.5 avg.). Sanders was a five-year letterman (2017-21) for Mississippi, where he played in 46 games with 18 starts.
Smith has spent the past two years (2021-22) on Miami's practice squad after he was initially signed to the practice squad on Sept. 2, 2021. He was elevated three times in 2022 but did not appear in a game. Smith spent the 2021 offseason and training camp with Atlanta after originally signing with the Falcons as an undrafted college free agent on May 14, 2021. He was a three-year starter (2016-17, 2019) at Fayetteville State, where he earned first-team All-CIAA honors in 2019.
Twyman joined Miami's practice squad on Oct. 10, 2022 after spending time on Minnesota's practice squad earlier in the season. He originally entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick (199th overall) by Minnesota in the 2021 NFL Draft but spent his entire rookie campaign on the non-football injury list. Twyman played collegiately at Pittsburgh, where he started all 13 games as a sophomore in 2019 and became the first interior lineman to lead Pitt in sacks (10.5) since Aaron Donald had 11.0 in 2013.
| Name | Pos. | Hgt. | Wgt. | Birthdate | Exp. | College | Hometown | Acq. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josiah Bronson | DT | 6-3 | 300 | 7/3/97 | 2 | Washington ’21 | Kent, Wash. | FA, ‘22 |
| Lester Cotton | OL | 6-4 | 335 | 2/20/96 | 3 | Alabama ’19 | Tuscaloosa, Ala. | FA, ‘22 |
| Tino Ellis | CB | 6-1 | 195 | 10/15/97 | 1 | Maryland ’20 | Reisterstown, Md. | FA, ‘22 |
| Cameron Goode | LB | 6-3 | 238 | 4/15/98 | R | California ’22 | Spring, Texas | D7a, ’22 |
| Braylon Sanders | WR | 6-1 | 194 | 1/21/99 | R | Mississippi ’22 | Hogansville, Ga. | FA, ‘22 |
| Kion Smith | T | 6-5 | 311 | 10/7/98 | 1 | Fayetteville State ’21 | Lumberton, N.C. | FA, ‘21 |
| Jaylen Twyman | DT | 6-2 | 285 | 7/19/99 | 1 | Pittsburgh ’21 | Washington, D.C. | FA, ‘22 |
