Dion Dawkins To Return To Bills After Long Stint On COVID-19 Reserve List

The offensive line has been a crucial component of the improvement we've seen from the Buffalo Bills over the last couple of seasons. With Josh Allen returning at quarterback and Stefon Diggs heading into his second season with the team, the offense could be one of the best in the league.

If that is going to happen, the Bills need to have everyone on board, including star left tackle Dion Dawkins. The former second-round pick who just signed a four-year, $60 million extension a year ago, has been on the COVID-19 reserve list for the last two weeks.

He hasn't officially returned to the field yet, but Buffalo reactivated him on Thursday, which is a huge boost for the offense.

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Don't expect Dawkins -- or any other Bills starter -- to play in the team's first preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Friday night. Head coach Sean McDermott has already said that the first-team guys won't play.

“It’s kind of hard to project right now,” McDermott said during a recent press conference. “For this one, we felt like it was important to take a good look at these young players in particular to give them their due. And this is the first time that with the cuts each week basically after each game, we want to make sure we have a good handle on who we have and what we need to do going forward.”

Still, that doesn't take away from the importance of Dawkins returning now rather than later.

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Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.