The Miami Dolphins made several roster moves over the weekend, as they successful cut their roster from 91 players down to 53 by the league's deadline on Sunday.
Among those cuts was linebacker Tyrel Dodson, who had started 16 games for the Dolphins in 2025 and was expected to line up next to All-Pro Jordyn Brooks this year for a third season.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Brooks revealed his reaction to Dodson's release.
"Yeah, I was [surprised]," Brooks said. "Somebody that's, off the field, one of my best friends. Somebody that I've got to know very well over the last three years. So just seeing him go, that's always difficult , and then you understand like the business side of things. It's hard not to take some things personal in this business,
but I'm excited that he already found a new home. I spoke to him, he's in great spirits. The type of person that he is, he's just going to keep going. So I'm not worried about his mental or spiritual right now. I know he's going to be all right, but it does suck not having hi m as a teammate anymore."
Dodson finished last year with a career-high 129 tackles, six quarterback hits, five sacks, three passes defensed, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Now, Brooks will line up next to second-round pick Jacob Rodriguez, and he's been pleased by the rookie's play so far in training camp and the preseason.
"Jacob is, I like to say, like a rookie vet," Brooks explained. "He's already seasoned. Whatever he was doing at Texas Tech, he was doing the right things. Came in very knowledgeable of the game, very mature and just ready to go. He's just gotten better and better since OTAs, honestly. I'm excited to see his growth and what he does this year."
Miami probably won't compete for the division this year, but the development of their new linebacker tandem is something fans can get excited about in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins All-Pro says he was surprised by teammate's release
