The Buffalo Bills will not be reuniting with former linebacker Tyrel Dodson, as he is heading to a division rival instead.
Dodson was unexpectedly waived by the Seattle Seahawks this week, despite starting all nine games this season and leading the team with 71 total tackles. While there was some speculation that the Bills might claim him to address their linebacker depth, Dodson was instead picked up by the Miami Dolphins.
Ex-Bills Linebacker Joins AFC East Rival
Dodson originally joined the Bills in 2019 as an undrafted free agent. After spending most of his first year on the practice squad, he became a regular contributor in 2020. Over four seasons with Buffalo, Dodson played in 68 games, recording 143 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Although the Bills had been considering Dodson to help fill the void left by injured linebackers Matt Milano and Baylon Spector, the Dolphins, ahead of Buffalo on the waiver wire, claimed him.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald explained that the team made the decision to release Dodson in order to give opportunities to other linebackers, including rookie Tyrice Knight. Instead of relegating Dodson to a backup role, Macdonald said the team wanted to give him a chance to find a new team where he could continue to contribute as a starter.
“We really appreciate T-Dot,” Macdonald said in a statement. “He’s worked extremely hard and rehabbed well in the offseason. After assessing where we stood, we felt it was best for everyone involved to give other players an opportunity to step up, while also allowing Tyrel to find a new opportunity to finish the year strong.”
Bills Defense Could Get a Significant Boost
The Bills may soon get a key defensive addition with Milano’s potential return. Head coach Sean McDermott announced that the team has activated the 21-day practice window for Milano, signaling that his return is imminent.
Although Milano has already been ruled out for the game against the Kansas City Chiefs, McDermott indicated that the linebacker has made significant progress in recovering from the torn pectoral injury he suffered during training camp. The team plans to take it week-by-week to assess Milano’s readiness to rejoin the field.
“We’re going to take it one week at a time,” McDermott said. “He’s made great strides, and we’ll see how things go as we continue to evaluate his progress. We’ll reassess at the end of the week and determine what the next steps are.”
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