Dolphins make waiver claims on two: CB Seamster, S Ross

The Miami Dolphins have been awarded two waiver claims today, adding added rookie cornerback Sammy Seamster after he was waived by the Baltimore Ravens in the final rounds of roster cuts yesterday, as well as safety Brandian Ross, who started 13 games for the Oakland Raiders last year. Both moves are designed to bolster the depth in the Dolphins' secondary, where starting free safety Reshad Jones will miss the first four weeks of the season serving a suspension for performance enhancing drugs.

Seamster, who worked out for the Dolphins in April, was signed as an undrafted free agent by Baltimore this year out of Middle Tennessee State. He was never a full time starter in college, but he was versatile enough to play both cornerback and safety. The 6-foot-1, 200 bound defensive back ran a 4.44 second 40-yard dash, had a vertical leap of 35-inches, and a 10-foot-4 broad jump, all during his Pro Day.

"The fastest I've run before was a 4.38," Seamster told reporters at his Pro Day. "I feel like press coverage is a big strength for me because I've got long arms and can really disrupt the receiver at the line."

The high school 100- and 200-meter state champion visited with the New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, and Jacksonville Jaguars prior to the draft, and was said to be a recruiting target for multiple teams when he went undrafted. The Dolphins are thought to be one of the teams that were looking to sign him.

Ross was undrafted out of Youngstown State in 2011, signing with the Green Bay Packers, where he spent his rookie year, and part of his second season, on the practice squad. The Oakland Raiders poached him during the 2012 season, playing 14 games, with one start, that year, totalling 17 tackles. In 2013, Ross started 13 games for Oakland, appearing in all 16, with two sacks, three passes defensed, one forced fumble, and 74 tackles.

Both Ross and Seamster will likely serve only as depth players on Miami's roster. The team has Brent Grimes and Cortland Finnegan as the starting cornerbacks, with second-year players Jamar Taylor and Will Davis behind them. At safety, Louis Delmas will play strong safety, while Jimmy Wilson will man the free safety position until Jones returns. Michael Thomas and Walt Aikens, who was converted from cornerback to safety this offseason, will be the primary reserves.

Miami released wide receiver Damian Williams and safety Don Jones to make roster space for Ross and Seamster.