Dolphins sign six to future contracts

The Miami Dolphins have announced the signing of six players to Reserve/Futures contracts. These are players who were not on an active contract with any team when the season ended, and are not considered as a part of the 2014 signing/salary cap. The players do not count against the team's 53-man roster limit, instead taking a place on the 90-man limit when the league expands the rosters in March.

Typically, these players are practice squad players from around the league, who will be given an opportunity to earn a spot on the active roster when the 2015 season rolls around, or a re looking for another practice squad position next year.

The six players Miami signed are:

Mark Asper, guard - Asper was a sixth round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2012, but was among the team's final round of roster cuts at the end of the preseason. He was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Vikings, but never appeared in a game for the franchise. He was waived near the end of the 2012 season, claimed by the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he made his NFL debut, playing in one game. He was released in the first round of roster cuts the next preseason, before being signed by the Bills to their practice squad. He eventually worked his way to the 53-man roster, where he appeared in six games. He was signed as a free agent by the New York Giants at the end of July this past summer, then was added to their practice squad when the season began. He was released from the Giants' practice squad in September before the Dolphins signed him to their practice squad in December.

McLeod Bethel-Thompson, quarterback - Bethel-Thompson went undrafted in 2011, he spent brief periods of time with the San Jose SaberCats (Arena Football League), the San Francisco 49ers, the Sacramento Mountain Lions (United Football League), and the Miami Dolphins throughout the 2011 season. He joined the Vikings on a Reserve.Futures contract after the 2011 season, starting the 2012 season as the team's third string quarterback before being released when the Vikings signed Josh Freeman. He was claimed off waivers by the 49ers, then a month later was waived and added to the team's practice squad. He returned to the 49ers in 2014, but was waived during the first round of roster cuts during the preseason. He then spent 10 days on the New England Patriots' practice squad, then was signed to the Vikings practice squad for two weeks. He joined the Dolphins practice squad in October.

Emmanuel Dieke, defensive end - Dieke was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech by the New York Giants in May 2014. He was waived/injured at the end of August, reaching an injury settlement and becoming a free agent. He spent the season bouncing on and off the Dolphins practice squad.

Jake Knott, linebacker - Knott went undrafted in 2013 out of Iowa State, signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. He recorded six tackles in 12 games as a rookie, but he was suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season for a positive test for performance enhancing drugs. The Eagles released him in August 2014, re-signing him to the practice squad after suspension, but releasing him with an injury settlement two days later. He joined the Dolphins a couple of months later, first to the practice squad, then promoted to the active roster in December. He was released before the Dolphins' Week 16 game.

Lowell Rose, cornerback - Rose went undrafted out of Tulsa in 2013, initially signing with the 49ers. He spent the 2014 training camp and the preseason with the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers before signing to the Dolphins' practice squad. He was promoted to the 53-man roster for Miami in October, making his NFL debut when he started at cornerback against the Denver Broncos, recording one tackle, before being waived and re-signed to the practice squad, where he finished the year.

Jake Stoneburner, tight end - Stoneburner went undrafted in 2013 out of Ohio State, signing with the Green Bay Packers. He started his rookie year on the practice squad, but was promoted to the active roster in October 2013, appearing in nine games as a special teams contributor. He landed on the Packers' Injured Reserve list in August 2013, before reaching an injury settlement. The Dolphins added him to their practice squad in November.