Buffalo Bills LT Dion Dawkins has huge praise for rookie before Week 1 game

The Buffalo Bills offense is going to look different this year, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. New players are going to have opportunities to step into prominent roles, whether they've been on the team for a while or they're knew to Buffalo.

Starting left tackle Dion Dawkins was asked about rookie running back Ray Davis today, and his remarks echo the sentiments that have been said about Davis ever since he first got to Buffalo.

"I see a go getter, man, like, the simple fact that Ray went to temple, you know, I went to temple. Like, I have a lot of respect for the kid. Like, he went to a couple of different schools and shown and proved the type of player that he is on that level," Dawkins said. "And he's been doing it here in practice. You know that he's been performing at a high level. And as an older guy looking at young guys, it's a good thing to see guys come in and just go after it."

"Ray, just being Ray, and him like coming in and saying, 'I don't know if I have a big chance,' you know, and, and now he's in the mix, like seriously in the mix. So I am proud of him," Dawkins continued.

"I'm happy for him, you know, he runs hard. That's all I can ask for as a lineman, you know, just get your shoulder pads north and hit the field running."

Davis has been a bright spot all throughout camp and the preseason. In the second preseason game, Davis had eight carries for 58 yards (7.3 YPC), while looking strong in pass protection. In that game, he avoided five tackles and created 40 yards after contact. While James Cook is going to get the bulk of the looks out of the backfield, this team seems intent on crafting a running back room full of versatility that can attack opposing defenses in a variety of ways.

"It helps us tremendously," Dawkins said when asked about the running back room being full of players capable of doing everything. "Because when you have a running back that's in the game and everyone knows, like, all right, this is your huge back, like, this is our Derrick Henry, the linebackers play in a different way. The D-line plays in a different way, and the safeties play in a different way, like the safeties might step up, the linebackers might step up, and the D-lineman might play just a little bit more physical for the run. And now that we have a group of guys that it could be this or that, or this or that, you know it just takes a little percentage off of the initial set hut. But besides that, ball is ball."

Davis might just be the secret weapon in this offense. His role might not jump off the page, but there will be plenty of opportunities for him to spell Cook and come in with fresh legs. That ability to keep moving the ball on the ground while Cook catches a breather is going to be huge. The rushing attack for Buffalo looks as promising as it has in years.

Related: Buffalo Bills OC Joe Brady points out a key to victory in their Week 1 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals

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