AFC Notes: Dion Dawkins, Quinnen Williams, Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills LT Dion Dawkins was one of the leading voices in the creation of the Protector of the Year Award, which will recognize the best offensive lineman in the game every season. Dawkins is honored to have an impact on how the game is celebrated. 

“It’s very cool that my domino piece makes noise when it falls,” Dawkins said, via The Athletic’s Tim Graham. “Just to be a regular kid from Jersey, go to Temple, be a second-round pick to Buffalo, to having a voice so big that it reaches all 32 teams and then some.”

“This is a part of my legacy now, and I stand on it.”

Dawkins said the following in the official release by the NFL announcing the award. 

“This Protector of the Year award is finally giving the big boys up front the respect we deserve. I’ve been knocking on doors and spearheading this movement because offensive linemen are the true foundation of every team’s success. We might not have all the fancy stats as the skinnies or end up on a highlight reel every week, but without us, there’s no rushing titles, passing titles, or touchdowns. This award is for all the unsung heroes who put in work every snap. I won’t stop fighting to give offensive linemen the respect and recognition we deserve.”

Jets

Jets DT Quinnen Williams has lived up to expectations in his six years after being selected third overall, but it hasn’t come with much winning. Williams is determined to get the Jets to the promised land before his career is over. 

“Change the whole narrative of the New York Jets losing streaks or the playoff [droughts] and different things like that,” Williams said, via Jack Bell of the team’s website. “I was drafted here a long time ago [No. 3 overall in 2019 out of Alabama], and I was paid to help change things around. And I wear that as a badge of honor to make sure that before I leave this game the New York Jets are going to be on top, the New York Jets are going to be the team to watch. I kind of live that every day, and I want everybody around me to be that.”

Regarding new HC Aaron Glenn, Williams loves his mentality for the game and the level of performance he commands daily. 

“Hard-nosed football is one of those things that he believes in, toughness, he believes in execution. He believes in being smart when it comes down to executing the plays and then not penalizing yourself. So his standard was set from Day 1, and it hasn’t been broken there ever since he said it. So, it’s one of those things that’s bleeding out to the captains and bleeding out to everyone on the staff, everyone in the organization, everyone on the field. So, it’s one of those things that I’m kind of super happy about and super, super proud of.”

Williams was thrilled with the team’s attendance for the third phase of OTAs and thinks it’s starting the new regime off on a great foot. 

“It’s amazing to have 100 percent participation. This is going to show you the belief we have in the new staff, the new head coach and the new regime, the new organization, the way we want to get this thing going, especially the guys who’ve been here for the last two, three, or four years, and wanted to go in the right direction and winning football games, and doing the things we can do to win football games, and not only that, but clean up some of those mistakes that we got, personally, especially myself, to want to go in the right direction and being the players that we all know we could be.”

Patriots

New England signed pass rusher Harold Landry III to reunite with HC Mike Vrabel and bolster their pass rush after having the fewest in the NFL in 2024. Landry discussed his offseason refinement and how they have built chemistry in the early parts of the offseason, which is critical for success. 

“He’s telling us, ‘you’re like a pitcher, you want to make everything look the same so the tackle doesn’t know what’s coming.’ That’s something I’m focusing on this offseason, making sure all my moves look the same initially until the move actually happens,” Landry said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

“Just in the locker room, I feel like I mesh well with everybody. I feel like we’re building a great culture here right now. If we come out and take it one day at a time, and stack good days, and just come to work and everyone buys in, we have a chance to do something here. That’s exciting.”