Buffalo Bills OL desperately needs ailing Dion Dawkins to play vs. Cleveland Browns

The Bills' front-five will try to stave off a historic moment for Browns' edge rusher Myles Garrett on Sunday.

Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins (73) warms up prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

As the Buffalo Bills hope to fend off a record-setting performance from Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett on Sunday, it would sure help to have starting left tackle Dion Dawkins in the lineup.

Dawkins is currently dealing with an illness, forcing him to miss each of the Bills’ practices to begin Week 16, which could lead to his second absence in four weeks. That would spell trouble for the Buffalo offensive line, which needs Dawkins more than ever as it goes up against the Browns' future Hall of Fame pass rusher.

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Nov 20, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) drops back to throw the ball as guard Rodger Saffold (76) blocks Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the first half at Ford Field. | Tim Fuller-Imagn Images

Stats show

While Garrett has dispatched opposing offensive linemen no matter where he has lined up this season, he has been particularly effective in a specific alignment.

According to Next Gen Stats, Garrett has aligned on the right edge on 81.5% of his snaps this season, which pits him against opponents’ left tackles far more often than not. While generating a 17.3% quarterback pressure rate from that alignment, he has produced 17.5 of his 21.5 sacks.

Dawkins hasn’t been the same in terms of his ability in pass protection this season, where he has allowed a 7.7% QB pressure rate to opposing pass rushers, his highest in a season since 2020, per Next Gen Stats. Still, that's 10th-lowest among NFL left tackles. His presence will be increasingly critical this week as Garrett goes for the single-season sack record, needing just one sack to tie the all-time mark and 1.5 sacks to surpass it.

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Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark (74) looks up at the Jumbotron to watch the play during second half action at the Bills home game against the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 29, 2024. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In his stead

If Dawkins is unable to play against the Browns, that would force Ryan Van Demark into the starting lineup for the fourth time this season. Van Demark previously started in place of right tackle Spencer Brown in Weeks 4 and 14, while also mixing in a start at left tackle due to Dawkins’ absence in Week 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Van Demark fared well during his first three starts of the year. Still, it would behoove the Bills to get Dawkins, the team's top offensive lineman, healthy in time to match up against Garrett and the Browns this weekend.

Otherwise, it could be a memorable afternoon for Cleveland's star defender.

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