Buffalo Bills LT Dion Dawkins sets sights on All-Pro: 'I need to cross that threshold'
Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins has made three consecutive Pro Bowls. Last season, Dawkins, his teammates and his coaches felt he had his best year. As training camp heats up, he’s looking to build upon that.
Every day, multiple times a day, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady tells left tackle Dion Dawkins the same thing.
“‘Hey you’re one of the best in this league,’” Brady says. “‘And you gotta have an All-Pro mindset at all times.’ And I believe he has that. But just keep reminding him.”
Before meetings, before walkthroughs, before practices, Brady repeats the same phrase: All-Pro Shnow, All-Pro Shnow, All-Pro Shnow.
Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins knows he can still get better as he strives to become an All-Pro player. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Dawkins, nicknamed the Shnowman, knows what Brady is doing. Brady is trying to push Dawkins to his full potential.
“It’s just really Joe just trying to understand who I am,” Dawkins said. “I’m not comfortable with all the accolades that that I’ve had. And him reminding me just don’t get comfortable. Don’t get complacent. Don’t just be okay with being a Pro Bowler.”
Dawkins has made three consecutive Pro Bowls, and he’s a two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. Last season, Dawkins, his teammates and his coaches felt he had his best year. As training camp heats up, he’s looking to build upon that.
Every compliment and every accolade is meaningful, but without an elusive All-Pro nod thus far, Dawkins isn’t satisfied.
“Pro Bowls, I’m thankful. Top 100, I salute it. Like, whatever it is,” Dawkins said Tuesday. “But All-Pro – I need to be an All-Pro tackle for Josh Allen. And nobody else. I need to be All-Pro Shnow for Josh Allen, then I need to be All-Pro Shnow tackle for Dion Dawkins. And then for the rest of my team. Every year that I’m not that – and it’s just a personal thing – I feel like I’m letting Josh down, even though I still do a great job. …
“For me to be truly who I am, I need to cross that threshold.”
It is notable that Dawkins puts Allen’s needs above his own. It’s a testament to the selfless position he plays, but also to his own mindset.
“Josh is an All-Pro quarterback,” Dawkins said. “I want to be All-Pro whatever he is, so I can just match his energy.”
Brady says he’s seen a maturity in Dawkins, 30, as the tackle has found better ways to take care of his body, especially during training camp. On Tuesday, the team focused on third-and-long reps, which Dawkins said was a “tough day” at practice.
“Obviously, it’s hot days out here,” Brady said Tuesday. “It’s a grind. You know today (Dawkins is) going to get Von Miller rushing at him 30 straight snaps. But just continuing to that mindset that like ‘Hey I’m an elite tackle in this league and I don’t need help. You don’t need to give me a jam or anything like that. And I’m going to lock it down.’ ”
One thing that hasn’t been in question is Dawkins’ leadership. The eight-year veteran is the longest-tenured player on the Bills’ offense. Dawkins is a leader on and off the field.
Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, left, said that Dion Dawkins, right, has become more vocal to help younger players. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
And offensive line coach Aaron Kromer has seen Dawkins find ways to dig deeper.
“He’s really done a good job of being a bigger leader,” Kromer said. “Now with Mitch [Morse] gone, Connor [McGovern] is doing a great job of being a leader and Dave Edwards is very vocal, but Dion has really taken the young guys and been more vocal, saying ‘Guys, this is how we have to be today. This has to be our intent. We have to be good at these things today. Let’s go do it. Don’t think about anything else.’ That has been fantastic for us.
“He’s been a leader. But the better you play, the easier it is to lead.”
To do so, Dawkins balances his confidence with knowing he can achieve more.
“It’s like there’s a point where you can be cocky. There’s a point where you can realize who you are,” Dawkins said. “And there’s a point of understanding your presence. And I think the presence that I have – and I’ve been saying this over and over – it’s time. Like, it’s just time.”
Head coach Sean McDermott knows how much Dawkins means to the Bills.
“He’s so good. He’s such a big part of what we do,” McDermott said. “His energy day to day, his leadership in the way that he helps lead our football team, I count on that.”
And Dawkins doesn’t just excel in intangibles.
ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate rankings track how well linemen can hold their blocks for 2.5 seconds or longer. Last season, Dawkins ranked fourth among offensive tackles, with 344 wins in 369 plays, good for a rate of 93.2%. McDermott thinks Dawkins still has room to improve.
“I think probably the biggest thing is just the consistent finishing of plays,” McDermott said, when asked where Dawkins can take a next step. “I think that that’s probably the biggest thing that I could ask of him, because he’s so good, so special to our football team and to me. Just the consistent finishing of plays, more than anything.”
When Dawkins hears that his coaches still want more, he lights up.
“Everybody wants more,” Dawkins said. “And I love it, because I’m planning on giving them more.”
