After setting CB market, Tre’Davious White contract extension is a bargain ten months later

Last August, the Buffalo Bills and left tackle Dion Dawkins agreed on a four-year, $58.3 million contract ($29.5 million guaranteed). When he signed the deal, it was a top-five contract among NFL left tackles.

In terms of average annual value (AAV), Dawkins and his $14,575,000 AAV were right at the top five, with his per-game roster bonuses likely to push him to $15 million per season. Since that time, the top AAV has shot up to more than $23 million for Trent Williams and the San Francisco 49ers. The Houston Texans’ Laremy Tunsil’s $22 million AAV set the stage last season, followed by the Green Bay Packers’ David Bakhtiari at $23 million before Williams squeaked past.

Kolton Miller (Las Vegas Raiders), Garrett Bolles (Denver Broncos), Donovan Smith (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Taylor Decker (Detroit Lions), and D.J. Humphries (Arizona Cardinals) are all ahead of Dawkins joining the former top-paid LTs Nate Solder (New York Giants) and Taylor Lewan (Tennessee Titans).

In terms of overall value, Dawkins is also 11th with $58.3 million on the books. For money fully guaranteed at signing, Dawkins is seventh.

The purpose of this article is to show you that even though Dawkins signed a near-top-of-the-market deal, his number was quickly surpassed by multiple players. At the time he was a top-five tackle but now he’s just outside the top ten. That seems to be very in line with his play, though it could probably be argued he has a place in the top ten.