Dolphins Make Swap in Cornerback Room

The Miami Dolphins brought back a young player they had signed earlier in the offseason

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver talks to cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) during mandatory minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

While the focus among Miami Dolphins cornerbacks remains on Jalen Ramsey, the team made a couple of roster moves in that position group Tuesday.

On the day the team began OTAs and Phase Three of the offseason program, the Dolphins announced they had re-signed Ryan Cooper Jr. and placed Jason Maitre on injured reserve.

This is the second time the Dolphins have picked up Cooper, who first was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the offseason and then was among a group of four players — including long-snapper Blake Ferguson — released before the start of rookie minicamp.

Maitre was re-signed to a future contract in January after ending the 2024 season on the Dolphins practice squad. He had joined the practice squad during the season after an impressive showing in training camp.

Cooper entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent in 2024 with Baltimore, where he spent the season on the practice squad and appeared in one game. He was signed to a reserve/future contract with Seattle at the end of the 2024 season and was awarded to Miami off waivers on February 24 of this year.

Cooper finished his collegiate career at Oregon State (2022-23), where he appeared in 23 games and recorded 82 tackles (52 solo), 1.5 sacks, four interceptions and 22 passes defensed in two seasons with the Beavers. He was a two-year starter at the College of San Mateo in California prior to transferring to Oregon State.

THE DOLPHINS CORNERBACK ROOM

Cooper rejoins a cornerback group that will feature an awful lot of young unproven players once the much-anticipated Ramsey trade occurs sometime after June 1 arrives.

Returning slot corner Kader Kohou is the longest-tenured member of the group, which also includes 2016 Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Artie Burns and recent veteran acquisition Kendall Sheffield.

Also competing for roster spots and possibly a starting job (or both) are young players Storm Duck, Ethan Bonner, Isaiah Johnson, Cam Smith, rookie fifth-round pick Jason Marshall Jr., and rookie free agents B.J. Adams, Ethan Robinson.