The Miami Dolphins have made a strategic move to bolster their defensive line, claiming former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle James Ester off waivers, according to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero.

Ester, 24, originally signed a futures contract with the Packers in early 2025 and spent the entire 2025 season on their practice squad. A futures contract locks a free agent to a team's practice squad or 90-man offseason roster for the upcoming year, essentially a low-risk bet on potential. He inked another futures deal with Green Bay in 2026 but was recently released to free up roster space, allowing Miami to swoop in and secure his services.

While Ester has yet to appear in an NFL regular-season game, his college resume at Northern Illinois (2019-2023) is impressive. Over five seasons, he started 43 games, racking up 121 tackles (50 solo), 20 tackles for loss, and nine sacks. At 6-foot-3 and 289 pounds, he's considered slightly undersized for a traditional defensive tackle, but his quickness and motor could make him a disruptive force in Miami's scheme.

One key advantage for the Dolphins: head coach Jeff Hafley coached Ester last season in Green Bay and knows his strengths and weaknesses intimately. This familiarity could accelerate Ester's development and integration into the defense. For a Dolphins team entering what many expect to be a rebuilding phase, this is a low-risk, high-upside addition that could pay dividends down the road.