Things look a little different in Buffalo right now.
Stefon Diggs is gone. So too are Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. Three faces of a franchise whose absences are impossible to ignore. Tackle Dion Dawkins isn't about to let that sink the Bills, though, admitting Thursday it's simply all part of the ever-changing business of the pro football.
“There is a lot of guys that are not there. But this is the NFL," Dawkins said during an appearance on NFL Network's The Insiders. "Guys come, guys go, guys have to be ready. I think regardless of who is in those spots, we know that they’re gonna give it their all. You know like, 14 (Stefon Diggs), 21 (Jordan Poyer), 23 (Micah Hyde), all those numbers might not have those same faces, but we’re shooting for the stars.
“Everybody is counting us out, which I’m cool with. We can fly underneath that radar and hit everybody with uppercuts. I’m perfectly fine with it, but I’m gonna support those guys from a distance. It’s definitely different, and I’m still adjusting to it. I’m trying to answer it, but I’m just adjusting to it every day, because it is different, man. It really is.”
Josh Allen remains a centerpiece of the franchise, and because of his existence, a logical observer will never count the Bills out. In a quarterback-driven league, it only makes sense.
The presence of offensive coordinator Joe Brady -- who took over for Ken Dorsey during the 2023 season and oversaw a late resurgence, producing a run to the AFC Divisional Round -- and the addition of Florida State standout receiver Keon Coleman help, too. But Buffalo will still have to prove it can be productive on offense without Diggs, and on defense without two secondary stalwarts.
The task won't be easy. But as Dawkins said, turnover is a part of the game. The Bills won't have the same dependability in key areas because of the changes to the roster, but sometimes, change is what's best -- especially for a team that has repeatedly failed to get over the hump in the AFC playoffs.
If the changes prove to be successful, Dawkins will be happy to land the uppercut and leave the rest of the league staggering.