Dion

Dawkins

Dawkins missed Wednesday’s practice due to an illness, but the veteran left tackle was never considered a risk of missing Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs. The Bills’ bookend tackle appears good to go for the weekend with one day of practice left to go.

Dawkins was listed as a non-participant on Wednesday, ahead of the Bills’ AFC Championship game bout against the Chiefs. He was listed with an illness, which does not seem serious enough to put his status for Sunday’s game in doubt. It is still notable that he did not practice, but for now, Bills fans can expect their left tackle to still play in the biggest game of the season.

Dawkins was a DNP to start the week, but returned on Thursday and told Bills beat writer Katherine Fitzgerald that he was able to get through all of the team’s practice reps. Barring any setbacks, it sounds like Dawkins should be good to go for Sunday against the Texans.

Josh Allen’s three-time-defending Pro Bowl blocker worryingly showed up on Wednesday’s injury report. The Bills face the Texans in Week 5 and will need Dawkins to keep Allen’s blindside clean in an expectedly high-scoring affair.

Dawkins, a three-time Pro Bowler, was set to enter the final year of his contract. Now, the long-time Bill will be under contract through 2027 and is slated to be the fourth-highest-paid tackle in the league. In what was a troll job for the internet ages, Dawkins posted what looked like a cryptic tweet hinting at a departure, only to have his extension announced minutes later. Dawkins has played in 112 of a possible 115 regular season games since being drafted by the Bills in 2018 and was ranked as the 24th-best tackle in the league (min. 500 snaps) per PFF pass blocking grades last season. He allowed only one sack on 689 pass-block attempts and allowed just 34 quarterback pressures.

As is LB Matt Milano (knee). Dawkins ended up missing only one game. His return puts the Bills near full health as they look to avenge their Week 9 loss to Gang Green. Inactive for the Bills are FB Reggie Gilliam, OL Justin Murray, DT Jordan Phillips, LB Baylon Spector, CB Xavier Rhodes and S Dean Marlowe.

Dawkins returned to a full practice today and was limited on both Wednesday and Thursday. It seems likely that he will start on Sunday and get the Bills back up to their full complement of pass protectors for Josh Allen.

Dawkins will miss his third straight game with an ankle injury. David Quessenberry will continue running as a starter for Buffalo on Thursday night against the Patriots. Pro Football Focus grades the New England defensive line as the 17th best pass rush in the NFL.

He’s missed back-to-back practices ahead of Week 13’s Thursday night game against the Patriots. Bills coach Sean McDermott described his injury as “day to day” early last week. David Quessenberry replaced him during Thanksgiving’s game against the Lions and would be in line to start if Dawkins can’t make it.

Head coach Sean McDermott did not rule out Dawkins for Week 15. Dawkins was hospitalized with COVID in the summer. Dawkins -- graded by Pro Football Focus as the league’s 17th best pass-blocking tackle -- would be a significant loss for the Bills as they face the Panthers’ aggressive front seven. Josh Allen, expected to play through a foot injury he suffered in Week 14, could face consistent pressure in Week 15 with Dawkins sidelined.