Former Bills lineman signed

The Miami Dolphins have signed veteran defensive lineman Adolphus Washington as the team continues to attempt to fortify its defensive front.

To make room for Washington, the Dolphins released linebacker James Burgess, a South Florida native who spent portions of last season on Miami’s practice squad.

Washington, a 2016 thirdround pick who started 21 of the 35 games he played in during his first three NFL seasons, becomes the second defensive lineman Miami has signed in the last week.

Last Thursday, the Dolphins signed linebacker/defensive end Nate Orchard, hoping that the four-year veteran, who has 69 tackles and five sacks the past four seasons, could help with pass rushing.

The Dolphins have listed Orchard as a linebacker, and will likely use him in a similar role to the one they have envisioned for Charles Harris and rookie Andrew Van Ginkel, Miami’s 2019 fifthround pick. All three will likely serve as pass rushing outside linebackers in their new hybrid scheme that utilizes both a 3-4 and 4-3 defensive front.

Washington, who has 62 tackles, 4.5 sacks and three pass deflections the past three seasons with the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, might fit in best as a 3-4 defensive end, serving as an edge-setter for that defensive alignment.

Washington, who is listed at 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, played defensive tackle in college and during his first two seasons with the Bills, who drafted him in the second round in 2015.

Washington is known for his athleticism, which helped him become Ohio’s Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year in 2012 and a Parade All-American in both football and basketball.

He was released after playing just one game with the Bills last season, and spent one week on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad before the Cincinnati Bengals claimed him off waivers. Coincidentally, it was Orchard’s signing in Buffalo that led to Washington’s release by the Bills, which had changed coaching staffs that offseason.

Buffalo underwent an offseason overhaul by signing veteran defensive tackle Star Lotulelei in free agency and selected Stanford’s Harrison Phillips early in the 2018 draft, and subsequently decided to move on from Washington, who had 142 tackles, 13.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in his four seasons at Ohio State.

Last year, Washington was placed on injured reserve because of a knee injury he suffered in week 9 with the Bengals, and hadn’t signed with another franchise during free agency because he was rehabbing the injury.

Washington will likely compete with Tank Carradine and Jonathan Woodard for the traditional defensive end role, filling one of the biggest voids on Miami’s roster.

It’s also possible he could join Davon Godchaux, Vincent Taylor, Akeem Spence and Christian Wilkins, the Dolphins’ 2019 first-round pick, serving as an interior defensive lineman in the 3-4 and 4-3 fronts.

The Dolphins likely felt the need to add one more veteran to the defensive line because Charles Harris’ practice participation has been limited because of a wrist injury, which requires him to wear a protective club on his left hand.

This offseason, Miami has embarked on a youth movement, and the hardest hit unit has been the defensive line with the losses of veterans Cameron Wake, Robert Quinn, Andre Branch and William Hayes.