Dolphins sign Martrell Spaight, promote Jonathan Woodard

The Miami Dolphins have announced a series of roster moves on Wednesday, looking to bolster the defense after a series of injuries last week. The Dolphins added free agent linebacker Martrell Spaight and promoted defensive end Jonathan Woodard from the team’s practice squad.

The Dolphins placed defensive end William Hayes on injured reserve with a torn ACL and waived receiver Tanner McEvoy to make the roster space.

Spaight played for the Washington Redskins from 2015 to 2017, appearing in 30 games with seven starts. He has 87 career tackles, one interception, and one fumble recovery. He was a fifth-round pick by Washington out of Arkansas in 2015.

Woodard was a seventh-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2016, but spent his rookie season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. He spent time in 2017 on the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad before joining Miami’s practice squad late in the season. He was with the Dolphins throughout the summer but was a end-of-preseason cut before re-joining the practice squad.

Along with Hayes, who tore the ACL against the Oakland Raiders this past Sunday when he tried to adjust himself to meet the NFL’s “body-weight” rule, penalizing defensive players for landing on top of a quarterback during a sack, Miami also saw missed playing time from defensive end Andre Branch on Sunday, who injured his knee. Linebacker Chase Allen was also injured, sustaining a foot issue.

Miami faces the New England Patriots on Sunday.