Last August, the Buffalo Bills and left tackle Dion Dawkins agreed on a four-year, $58.3 million contract ($29.5 million guaranteed). When he signed the deal, it was a top-five contract among NFL left tackles.
In terms of average annual value (AAV), Dawkins and his $14,575,000 AAV were right at the top five, with his per-game roster bonuses likely to push him to $15 million per season. Since that time, the top AAV has shot up to more than $23 million for Trent Williams and the San Francisco 49ers. The Houston Texans’ Laremy Tunsil’s $22 million AAV set the stage last season, followed by the Green Bay Packers’ David Bakhtiari at $23 million before Williams squeaked past.