The Bills made a number of cost-cutting moves recently, releasing several veterans. One mainstay who will not be leaving is left tackle Dion Dawkins, however. The veteran announced on Monday that he will remain in the fold in 2024 and beyond, while ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports a new deal is in place. The team has since announced the move
The new accord is worth $60.5M over three years, per Schefter. It will move Dawkins into fifth in terms of annual average value amongst left tackles (although David Bakhtiari‘s Packers tenure is expected to soon come to an end). Dawkins could thus find himself fourth in the LT pecking order shortly.
The 29-year-old was on the books for 2024 at a cap hit of $16.6M. The coming campaign could have been a walk year as a result, but instead, Dawkins will ensure he stays in Buffalo for the foreseeable future. He has played his entire career with the Bills, earning a Pro Bowl nod in each of the past three campaigns. Keeping him in the fold thus represented a logical priority for the team.
Buffalo enjoyed strong play up front last season, one in which the midseason OC change produced a notable commitment to the ground game. Joe Brady will remain in his coordinator post for 2024, so a repeat of the usage of running back James Cook should be expected. Of course, the Bills will be in the market for a new center after moving on from Mitch Morse, and depth will be needed with Ryan Bates having been traded. Dawkins will provide stability on the blindside, though.
The latter secured a $58.3M extension in 2020, and he has managed to land an even larger accord four years later. Dawkins will remain a foundational member of the Bills offense in 2024 and beyond as the team transitions away from a number of pricey veterans in the immediate future. This re-up will no doubt affect Dawkins’ cap hit for this season, given Buffalo’s financial situation. In any event, he will be counted on for years to come as one of the league’s best-compensated O-linemen.
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