Another depth move that also further solidifies special teams
The Buffalo Bills and Tyrel Dodson agreed to a new, one-year contract on Tuesday, March 14, per the Buffalo Bills PR twitter account. Dodson, a restricted free agent with the Bills this offseason, was originally an undrafted free agent who signed with Buffalo after the 2020 NFL Draft. His contract details for 2023 were not immediately available.
Re-signed LB Tyrel Dodson to a one-year contract. pic.twitter.com/iRjMblri23
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) March 14, 2023
Tyrel Dodson, who turns 25 at the end of June, remains a key depth linebacker/special teams contributor with the team. Last season, Dodson appeared in 16 games, making three starts, while appearing on 220 defensive snaps (20.93% of team total) and 276 special teams snaps (67.32% of team total).
His 2022 NFL season proved to be the best yet, as Dodson made 32 tackles (four on special teams), 1 tackle for loss, 1 quarterback hit, 1 sack, and 1 fumble recovery.
Serving as the direct backup middle linebacker for the bulk of his Bills tenure, Dodson did find himself with starter’s reps in games where linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was sidelined due to injury.
Dodson seeing those reps and re-signing now shouldn’t signal a move to replace Edmunds with him. He’s a key reserve defender whose importance to the the team is as an off-the-bench linebacker with years of scheme familiarity. Additionally, Dodson is a very important part of what Buffalo does on special teams.