Dawkins, who entered his rookie contract last year, has been the starting lineup for the better part of his first three NFL seasons. He has made 43 starts in 48 games because he has never missed a regular season game in his career.
Dawkins intends to protect the blind side of Josh Allen for the foreseeable future as a tackle of franchise, and has no intention of resting on his laurels now that he’s paid.
“Actually, I have to deserve it,” he said. “Just because (the contract) is there, does not mean it can not disappear. And I know that about this league. And I do not take it as applicable. After this contract I have been, and it is only hours been, but it made me a little hungrier.We hear all about boys being paid, and then they fall off.And believe me, I’ll say it.I will not be.
“I will do anything and everything to fight, so it will never happen to me. I will earn every bit of this contract. And I will do anything and everything I can to help this program, this organization wins on the field and out. ”
A second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Dawkins is the first in Buffalo’s inaugural draft class under Sean McDermott to sign a longer contract extension. Seeing his head coach shut down long-term a day before he signed his deal has only boosted Dawkins’ confidence in what is being built at One Bills Drive.
“McDermott came in here and he just preached ‘Trust the process,’ ‘Respect the process,’ ‘Respect your peers, and believe in yourself. “It just shows that we all preach what we say. We just take it one step at a time and I’m just glad they had me in their vision and I’m a piece of the puzzle.”
