Pro Bowl Prepped Saffold for Move to Buffalo

Rodger Saffold’s first Pro Bowl appearance – in his 12th NFL season – was a major step forward in his career.

It also helped point him in a new professional direction.

Days after the Tennessee Titans released him in a move to create much-needed salary-cap space, Saffold signed a one-year, $6.25 million contract with the Buffalo Bills. The deal reunited him with left tackle Dion Dawkins, alongside whom he played and practiced as a member of the AFC’s Pro Bowl team back in early February. Saffold played 47 snaps on offense that day, third most on the AFC side, and logged 40 plays, second among the team’s tackles.

"Actually, me and Dawkins played together at the Pro Bowl and developed a pretty good relationship out there and I'm hoping to continue that," Saffold said, via Buffalo’s team website after he signed the deal. "I know that we'll play for one another.”

Dawkins is a five-year veteran who has missed one game in his career and has started 74 of the 80 contests in which he has played. A second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, his Pro Bowl appearance also was his first.

The Bills also re-signed center Mitch Morse, their starting center for the past three years and a seven-year veteran, to play on the other side of Saffold.

“I know of (Morse),” Saffold said. “I know that he's super athletic, a vet. I love being able to pick people's brains and see the way that they think and see how we can help each other to play better. Playing in the phone booth between those two is definitely going to put me in a position to be successful."

Saffold said that several teams expressed interest in signing him during the brief period he was available. The fit he envisions on the Bills’ offensive line and the fact that Buffalo has made four playoff appearances in five years, won two straight division titles and reached the AFC Championship game (2020) mace it an easy decision for him.

"I do really well and communicate with other guys on offense a lot," Saffold said. "I kind of like the hard work that was instilled in me and that's kind of what I expect out of my teammates. The one thing that I think I do is make a lot of people around me better. I'm hoping I can do that with this group of guys.

“… This is a complete football team. I love the environment that's around this team. So, I'm excited to bring some of this experience over here and try to help us move forward."

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