MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have waived/non-football injury cornerback Javaris Davis. The team activated running back Malcolm Perry and defensive tackle Zach Sieler off the reserve/COVID-19* list. The Dolphins also placed defensive tackle Raekwon Davis, defensive tackle Benito Jones, safety Brandon Jones, guard Solomon Kindley, defensive end Shaq Lawson and wide receiver Kirk Merritt on the reserve/COVID-19* list.
Davis was awarded to the Dolphins off waivers on July 27, 2020 after spending the offseason with Kansas City. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with Kansas City on April 30, 2020. Davis played in 49 games with 35 starts in a four-year career (2016-19) at Auburn.
Perry was Miami's seventh-round pick (246th overall) in the 2020 NFL draft. He was a four-year letterman (2016-19) and three-year starter at the Naval Academy, where 21 of his starts came at quarterback. Perry set an FBS quarterback record with 2,017 rushing yards in 2019 and his 4,359 career rushing yards are second in Navy history. He was also voted a team captain and named American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2019.
Sieler was awarded off waivers to Miami on Dec. 5, 2019 and played in three games with one start for Miami last year. He totaled eight tackles (three solo), one sack and two passes defensed with the Dolphins. Sieler also spent time with Baltimore in 2018 and 2019. He originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick (238th overall) by Baltimore in the 2018 NFL draft.
Davis was one of Miami's second-round pick (56th overall) in the 2020 NFL draft. A four-year letterman (2016-19) and three-year starter at Alabama, Davis earned second-team All-American honors as a senior in 2019. He played in 48 career games with 32 starts, totaling 175 tackles (67 solo), 11.5 sacks, one interception, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Benito 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.
Brandon Jones was a third-round pick (70th overall) by Miami in the 2020 NFL draft. He was a four-year letterman (2016-19) and three-year starter at Texas, where he played in 46 career games with 35 starts. As a senior in 2019, Jones was voted a team captain and started 12 games. He had 233 career tackles (175 solo), four interceptions and 11 passes defensed.
Kindley was Miami's fourth-round pick (111th overall) in the 2020 NFL draft. He was a four-year letterman (2016-19) and three-year starter at Georgia. Kindley played in 43 career games with 32 starts – 25 at left guard and seven at right guard. He earned Freshman All-SEC honors in 2017.
Lawson signed with Miami as an unrestricted free agent on March 21, 2020. He's played in 50 career games with 17 starts during his four-year (2016-19) NFL career – all in Buffalo. Lawson has 108 career tackles (63 solo), 16.5 sacks, 10 passes defensed and five fumble recoveries. He originally entered the NFL as a first-round pick (19th overall) by Buffalo in the 2016 NFL draft.
Merritt was signed by Miami as an undrafted college free agent on April 29, 2020. He was a two-year starter at Arkansas State, where he earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors as a senior in 2019. Last year, Merritt started all 13 games and caught 70 passes for 806 yards (11.5 avg.) and 12 touchdowns. He also had a kickoff return touchdown. Merritt was named the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2018.
*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.
