For two decades, the New England Patriots have ruled the AFC East. Now, it’s Buffalo Bills' turn.
In a recent interview on ESPN’s “Jalen and Jacoby,” franchise left tackle Dion Dawkins said the days of fretting about the Patriots are over. The Bills are now the team to beat, as they displayed in Week 16, routing the Patriots 38-9 at Gillette Stadium.
"Not to say it, but Tom Brady was the Patriots’ whole life and Tom Brady isn’t there,” he said. “We have a whole different Patriots team that we need to deal with.”
The Patriots have been playing catch up with the Bills all offseason, spending the second-most guaranteed money ever ($138 million) over the first 24 hours of free agency. Meanwhile, the Bills have retained members of their core on discounted deals, including Dawkins’ partners on the offensive line, tackle Daryl Williams and guard Jon Feliciano.
Dawkins, 26, inked a four-year, $60 million extension with the Bills last summer.
Back in early March after signing his two-year contract extension, safety Micah Hyde, who also re-upped with Buffalo, talked about how the Bills are now a destination for free agents.
“There’s just a lot of guys that think Buffalo is the old Buffalo, not winning and all that,” he said. “It’s disrespectful because the city is an amazing city. The team and organization are amazing. At the end of the day we’re trying to win football games, and if you don’t want to be in Buffalo, don’t come.”
Dawkins put the plea in simpler terms:
“It’s Buffalo Bills era, man. It’s Josh Allen, it’s Stefon Diggs, it’s Cole Beasley. Shoot. It’s Dion Dawkins, it’s Bobby Johnson, it’s Sean McDermott, it’s Brian Daboll. Buffalo, you know what I’m saying? It’s Bills Mafia! We ain’t worried about that. [And] Brandon Beane, 'Big Baller Beane!'”
"Big Baller Beane," indeed.
The Bills are bringing back their entire championship-caliber core, along with veteran wideout Emmanuel Sanders, who’s spoken about admiring Buffalo's offense from afar.
Oh, and Mitchell Trubisky signed a cheap deal to backup Josh Allen, in an apparent effort to rebuild his value. It was the ultimate endorsement of Sean McDermott's program.
Step aside, Bill Belichick, the Bills are ready for their moment.
The franchise left tackle says New England's time atop the AFC East is over