Can Tyrel Dodson Fill Bobby Wagner’s Massive Shoes?

The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than a month, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Signed to a one-year deal by Seattle in March, will Tyrel Dodson be ready to step up to replace a franchise icon at middle linebacker?

A four-star recruit out of Centennial High School in Tennessee, Dodson chose to commit to Texas A&M over several other SEC schools, including Arkansas and Missouri. Seeing action as a true freshman, he produced 27 combined tackles as a reserve, setting the stage for a breakout sophomore season with a team-high 105 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Following a stellar junior season, he declared for the NFL Draft, but he went undrafted and signed with the Bills. Due to a domestic violence incident, he received a six-game suspension and spent his entire rookie year on the practice squad. After starting just five games from 2020 to 2022, an injury to Matt Milano thrust him into the starting lineup for Buffalo last season, and he produced a career-high 74 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and eight tackles for loss in 10 starts. Rewarding him for his efforts, Seattle signed him early in free agency to help fill the void left by Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks departing.

A downhill, aggressive player at 6-0, 237 pounds, Dodson has played the vast majority of his defensive snaps in the NFL at middle linebacker, though he has seen limited action rushing off the edge to take advantage of his rushing ability. In 2022, on just 14 blitzes, he produced seven pressures and one sack, and last season, he generated 11 pressures and 2.5 sacks on 41 blitz attempts, proving to be adept at getting to the quarterback.

Rebounding from a minor injury that cost him all of OTAs and eager to earn a long-term deal, Dodson hits the ground running in his first full-time starting opportunity, immediately playing a vital role in Seattle’s massive improvements defending the run while totaling more than 120 tackles and 11 tackles for loss to go with 4.5 sacks rushing from middle linebacker.

Showing his overall lack of experience, Dodson struggles early in the regular season, particularly in coverage where opposing coordinators frequently pick on him with intermediate crossing routes. Unable to demonstrate necessary progress, rookie Tyrice Knight replaces him by midseason and the veteran’s future with the team becomes cloudy at best.

When Dodson got a chance to play in Buffalo, he provided a bit of a spark in the middle, showcasing the talent to smash ball carriers in the run game and delivering as a highly effective blitzer. With that said, the Bills often rotated him out of the lineup on third down and passing situations last year in favor of an extra defensive back, casting some questions about how he will perform if asked to handle duties as an every down middle linebacker for the Seahawks.

Looking at Seattle’s current stable of linebackers, assuming Dodson has fully recovered from the undisclosed injury that kept him sidelined all spring, nothing should stop him from starting at middle linebacker to open the season. If he’s able to build on the momentum gained from playing well in nearly a dozen starts last year, his hard-hitting presence and physical mentality should make him an excellent addition, even if he’s not the second coming of Wagner. But considering potential coverage concerns, he may need to have eyes on the back of his head, as Knight could be closing in on him as the season progresses if he isn’t performing at the top of his game.

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