Miami Dolphins sign 8 to future contracts
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January 15, 2024
Miami Dolphins sign 8 to future contracts
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins announced they have signed the following eight players to reserve/future contracts: linebacker Quinton Bell, cornerback Ethan Bonner, tight end Tanner Conner, tackle Ryan Hayes, offensive lineman Chasen Hines, defensive tackle Brandon Pili, wide receiver Braylon Sanders and wide receiver Anthony Schwartz.
Bell joined Miami’s practice squad on Oct. 17, 2023 and appeared in one game. He’s played in 10 career games with three tackles (two solo) over three seasons with Tampa Bay (2020), Atlanta (2022) and Miami (2023). He originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick (230th overall) by Oakland in the 2019 NFL Draft. Bell played collegiately at Prairie View A&M.
Bonner appeared in two games with the Dolphins this season, recording one tackle and one pass defensed. He also played in the AFC Wild Card game, where he recorded two solo stops and forced a fumble. Bonner signed with Miami as an undrafted college free agent on May 12, 2023 and spent the season on Miami’s practice squad. He was a four-year letterman at Stanford, where he played in 21 games with 15 starts. As a senior in 2022, Bonner started 10 games, recording 29 tackles (20 solo) and five passes defensed.
Conner spent the season on Miami’s practice squad and played in three games. He appeared in 13 contests as a rookie for Miami in 2022. Conner joined the team as an undrafted college free agent from Idaho State on May 13, 2022, where he was a first-team All-Big Sky selection at wide receiver in the spring of 2021. Conner also earned all-conference honors in track and field. He transitioned to tight end when he was signed by the Dolphins in 2022.
Hayes spent most of the season on Miami’s practice squad and was elevated once but did not appear in a game. He was Miami’s seventh-round pick (238th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft. Hayes spent the offseason and training camp with the Dolphins before spending the first two weeks of the regular season on Indianapolis’ active roster. He played collegiately at Michigan, where he was a three-year starter and a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2021 and 2022, helping the Wolverines reach the College Football Playoff both years.
Hines spent the season on Miami’s practice squad and was elevated once but did not appear in a game. He was a sixth-round pick (210th overall) by New England in the 2022 NFL Draft. Hines played collegiately at LSU, where he appeared in 35 games with 17 starts. He was a member of LSU’s 2019 national championship team.
Pili signed with Miami as an undrafted college free agent on May 12, 2023 and was waived on Nov. 4, 2023 before signing back to the practice squad. He played in four games for Miami this season, recording two tackles (one solo). Pili spent six seasons (2017-22) at USC, playing in 52 career games with 74 tackles (28 solo), 3.5 sacks, four passes defensed and one forced fumble. He earned honorable mention All-Pac 12 honors as a true freshman in 2017 when he totaled 14 tackles (three solo) and blocked a field goal.
Sanders first signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted college free agent on May 13, 2022 and spent each of the past two seasons on Miami’s practice squad. He was elevated three times in 2022, appearing in three games and catching two passes for 17 yards (8.5 avg.). Sanders was a five-year letterman (2017-21) for Mississippi, where he played in 46 games with 18 starts.
Schwartz joined Miami’s practice squad on Nov. 13, 2023 but did not appear in a game. He played in 25 games with three starts over two seasons (2021-22) with Cleveland, totaling 14 receptions for 186 yards (13.3 avg.) and one touchdown. He also had 10 carries for 96 yards (9.6 avg.) and one touchdown, and 15 kickoff returns for 322 yards (21.5 avg.). Schwartz originally entered the NFL as a third-round pick (91st overall) by Cleveland in the 2021 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at Auburn, where he finished 10th on the school’s all-time receptions (117) chart and also sprinted on the track and field team. Schwartz is a Pembroke Pines, Florida native and played at nearby American Heritage, where he helped the Patriots win back-to-back football state championships.
| Name |
Pos. |
Hgt. |
Wgt. |
Birthdate |
Exp. |
College |
Hometown |
Acq. |
| Quinton Bell |
LB |
6-4 |
251 |
5/9/96 |
3 |
Prairie View A&M ’19 |
Long Beach, Calif. |
FA, ‘23 |
| Ethan Bonner |
CB |
6-1 |
186 |
10/23/99 |
R |
Stanford ’23 |
The Woodlands, Texas |
FA, ‘23 |
| Tanner Conner |
TE |
6-3 |
232 |
3/20/98 |
2 |
Idaho State ’22 |
Kent, Wash. |
FA, ‘22 |
| Ryan Hayes |
T |
6-7 |
305 |
2/28/00 |
R |
Michigan ‘23 |
Traverse City, Mich. |
D7, ‘23 |
| Chasen Hines |
OL |
6-3 |
320 |
4/3/00 |
2 |
LSU ’22 |
Marshall, Texas |
FA, ‘23 |
| Brandon Pili |
DT |
6-3 |
319 |
4/2/99 |
R |
USC ’23 |
Anchorage, Alaska |
FA, ‘23 |
| Braylon Sanders |
WR |
6-1 |
190 |
1/21/99 |
1 |
Mississippi ’22 |
Hogansville, Ga. |
FA, ‘22 |
| Anthony Schwartz |
WR |
6-0 |
186 |
9/5/00 |
3 |
Auburn ’21 |
Pembroke Pines, Fla. |
FA, ‘23 |
