Bills, LT Dion Dawkins Agree To Extension

The Bills and left tackle Dion Dawkins have agreed to terms on a four-year, $60MM extension, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the pact includes $34MM in guaranteed money.

Dawkins was under club control through 2020, the last year of his rookie contract, and as Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic notes, the extension will be tacked onto the preexisting deal (Twitter link). So the 2017 second-rounder is now tethered to Buffalo through the 2024 season.

In a recent full-length piece, Buscaglia mentioned Dawkins as a potential franchise tag candidate next offseason, so the Bills will be happy to avoid the protracted negotiations and salary cap uncertainty that discussions with tagged players often engender. And while Dawkins has yet to make a Pro Bowl, he is already a solid starter with room to grow, so the $15MM AAV — which is presently the fifth-highest figure on the LT market — feels like a reasonable price.

The Temple product is often lauded for his athleticism, which makes him an especially valuable protector for QB Josh Allen, whose mobility is one of his defining characteristics. Dawkins graded out as a top-30 tackle in 2019 per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, which praised his pass-blocking ability but indicated that he has a little work to do with his run-blocking. On the other hand, his receiving skills are first-rate for a big man, as he has two receiving TDs to his credit.

Dawkins is a member of the first draft class for HC Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane, and he is the first player from that class to sign an extension. With his deal in the books, the club may start exploring new contracts for other 2021 free agents, like linebacker Matt Milano.

McDermott, of course, just signed an extension of his own yesterday, and Beane is in line for one soon. Those two have built a strong foundation in western New York, and Dawkins is a big part of it.