Packers boost depth on defense by signing two former Dolphins

GREEN BAY - The Green Bay Packers got a head start on the roster building they usually do immediately after the draft, claiming on waivers a pair of 2019 undrafted free agents who were released Monday by the Miami Dolphins.

The moves were posted Tuesday on the NFL's transaction wire.

Outside linebacker Jamal Davis II and defensive tackle Gerald Willis were part of a six-player purge the Dolphins conducted as the NFL draft approaches. With 14 picks, the Dolphins are remaking their roster and were positioning themselves to add some promising youth.

The 6-3, 234-pound Davis went undrafted last year and was signed to a free-agent contract by the Houston Texans. The former college defensive end ran the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds and posted a 39-inch vertical leap coming out of Akron.

He spent time on the Indianapolis and Tennessee practice squads before joining the Dolphins’ practice squad. He was elevated to the 53-man roster for the final three weeks of the season and did not have any tackles in three games.

The 6-3, 302-pound Willis was thought to be a mid-round selection after a strong senior season at the University of Miami but went undrafted and signed with Baltimore as a free agent. He was waived during the cutdown and wound up on Miami’s practice squad.

He was elevated to the 53-man roster and played 53 snaps in two games with two tackles before being put on injured reserve with a hip injury.

Both players are due to earn $675,000 this year, the minimum for second-year players.

The Packers have 66 players on their 90-man roster with the addition of the two players. They have 10 draft choices heading into Thursday’s first round.