Seattle Seahawks waive Tyrel Dodson after nine starts, aiming to reset their defense.
Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson has been a steady starter for all nine games this season, but his next appearance will be with a different team.
According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, the Seahawks intend to release Dodson.
This move places Dodson on waivers, allowing any team to claim him for around $1.1 million for the remainder of the season. If the Seahawks had released him last week, Dodson could have chosen his next team. However, with the NFL trade deadline now closed, every released player must go through waivers.
Dodson has been a starter this season and previously started in 10 games with the Bills last year, so it’s likely another team will claim him. If multiple teams make a claim, he’ll join the one with the lowest record, as the waiver priority mirrors the draft order, giving priority to the teams with the worst records.
The Seahawks recently acquired Ernest Jones, who is set to take over Dodson’s middle linebacker spot. Dodson was expected to shift to weakside linebacker following Jones’ arrival, but that position will now go to either Tyrice Knight or Drake Thomas.
Dodson signed a one-year, $4.26 million contract with the Seahawks after spending five seasons with the Buffalo Bills. Across nine games with Seattle, he tallied a team-high 71 tackles, along with two sacks, five tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and two passes defensed.
Since Dodson was released after last week’s trade deadline, he’s now subject to waivers. If claimed, the Seahawks will be relieved of the remaining $1 million from his $2.25 million base salary, which is essentially guaranteed since he’s a vested veteran.
Any team claiming Dodson would also inherit the $240,000 left from his $510,000 per-game roster bonuses and the $1.25 million available through incentives.
“We really appreciate T-Dot,” First-year head coach Mike Macdonald said.
“He’s worked extremely hard, rehabbed throughout the offseason here. There was an opportunity for us when we sat and took a step back and realized where we were at, it was the best thing for us to move forward that way, give the other guys in the room an opportunity to step up.”
“I hope those guys grab that opportunity by the horns and take it run with it, and then it gives Tyrel an opportunity to find another spot somewhere else so he can finish the year strong. That was the thought behind it.”
Later asked about why waiving Tyrel Dodson was the seemingly better option for Seahwaks rather than saving him as a backup, Macdonald added,
“It was what’s best for us, for the team at this point, and you’re looking at what’s best for the person too. This is a guy that’s come in and worked really hard, it didn’t work out here, which is on everybody involved, myself included. But it gives him an opportunity to go play somewhere else.”
Macdonald mentioned that the Seahawks are hopeful wide receiver DK Metcalf will be ready for Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, following his recovery from an MCL sprain that kept him sidelined for the last two games
Macdonald also said it’s a “realistic expectation at this point” that right tackle Abraham Lucas will make his season debut in Sunday’s game. Lucas, who has been on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from knee surgery, must be added to the 53-man roster by Wednesday.
In addition, Seattle brought cornerback Josh Jobe up to the active roster on Monday.
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