Tyrel Dodson has a right to be confused. So do Seattle Seahawks fans. After all, Seattle signed Dodson in free agency this offseason to be the green dot and leader in the middle of the defense. He led Seattle in combined tackles through nine games, and he was second in tackles for loss.
The linebacker had also played a greater percentage of snaps than any other defensive player as well as starting every game. That could potentially be a problem for the Seahawks since Dodson played so much that his backup didn't get many reps. Rookie Tyrice Knight is going to have to go from nearly nothing to the vast majority of meaningful snaps.
It seemingly would have made more since for Seattle to demote Dodson to be a backup and then start Knight. If Knight or fellow linebacker Drake Thomas (who could also see an uptick in reps) failed, then Seattle could re-insert Dodson. Instead, Seattle outright releasing Dodson earlier this week means the Seahawks are playing without a safety net at inside linebacker.
Former Seahawks linebacker (and now Dolphins LB) Tyrel Dodson completely confused by being released
Dodson wasn't walking the streets very long. The Miami Dolphins picked him up for the remainder of the season. Dodson was only on a one-year deal with Seattle anyway. There was a chance that Seattle waived Dodson to allow the player to prove himself with another team before 2025 free agency, but any potential suitor would have probably seen enough from Dodson through nine games to know whether they wanted to sign him.
Speaking with the media on Thursday, Dodson was asked what he thought the reason Seattle let him go was. He didn't have an answer. He repeatedly said, "We're still trying to figure that out." He added he was "p***** off," and that "(one) man's trash is another man's treasure." He did not say he was angry at the Seahawks for letting him go, but he might not have wanted to tell the media that specifically.
While with Seattle, most around the team found Dodson to be a decent person who also practiced hard. This would imply that his sudden release was not due to an off-field or locker-room issue. Seattle simply did not think he was doing a good enough job to stick on the roster.
The Seahawks are 4-5 but still within distance of first place in the NFC West as the first-place Arizona Cardinals are just 6-4. Tyrel Dodson might not have been the best linebacker in the NFL this year, but he wasn't awful either (he is so far graded as the 38th-highest player at his position, per Pro Football Focus - subscription required). Seattle still has a chance at the postseason this year, but they are taking a risk by releasing Dodson and replacing him with Knight or Thomas.
12s have a right to be as confused about the Seahawks releasing Dodson as the player is. Let's just hope the move works out for both parties.