Editor’s note: This is the 10th part of a series previewing the Bills’ position groups as training camp looms. Today: Tight ends.
A decision looms for the Buffalo Bills after the 2025 season regarding Dalton Kincaid.
The team’s 2023 first-round draft pick is entering his third season. That means the Bills will have to decide on the fifth-year option for the 2027 season after this year.
Buffalo Bills Mandatory Mini Camp (copy)
Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid spent most of the offseason in Buffalo working with the team’s strength and conditioning staff. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Right now, it’s not an easy call. Kincaid regressed in 2024 after a promising rookie season. Ailments played a big part, as Kincaid played through injuries to both of his knees. His toughness is not a question.
His ability to be the game-changing talent the Bills expected him to be when they traded up in the first round of the 2023 draft, however, still is.
Buffalo Bills position preview: Can wide receivers give Josh Allen what he needs?
Now healthy, Keon Coleman is out to prove why the Bills took him with their first selection of the 2024 draft. And outside of his personal pride, the offense needs him.
To Kincaid’s credit, he spent nearly the entire offseason in Buffalo with the team’s strength and conditioning staff. The front office and coaching staff challenged him to get stronger, and he has taken the right steps to achieve their directive.
People are also reading…
Now, the results must follow.
On the roster: 5
Dawson Knox, Dalton Kincaid, Jackson Hawes, Zach Davidson and Keleki Latu.
How many on the final 53?
Buffalo Bills position preview: Will James Cook's workload – and salary – increase?
Cook is a pro, so don’t bet on his contract status becoming a distraction. He’ll show up and do his work, but will he be rewarded for it? That remains to be seen.
Three: Knox, Kincaid and Hawes.
Most impactful offseason move
Letting Quintin Morris go. The Bills spent four seasons developing Morris, starting in 2021 when he spent most of the year on the practice squad. Over the past three seasons, Morris was a staple in the game-day lineup, appearing in 45 games in the regular season and another seven in the postseason. He played at least 18% of the offensive snaps and at least 75% of the special teams snaps in each of those three years, so he had a clearly defined role as a backup tight end.
Still, the Bills chose not to re-sign Morris as an unrestricted free agent, and he agreed to a one-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars in May.
Biggest question to answer in camp
Buffalo Bills Mandatory Mini Camp (copy)
Bills tight end Dawson Knox is not expected to play a lot with Dalton Kincaid on the field at the same time unless Buffalo uses more 12 personnel packages. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
How will playing time between Knox and Kincaid be split? The expectation when Kincaid was drafted was that the Bills would move their offensive scheme to include two tight ends at a much higher rate. That was true for a short time, but last year, the team went away from “12 personnel,” meaning one running back and two tight ends on the field with two receivers. The Bills ran 12 personnel just 13.85% of the time, according to Sumer Sports, which ranked No. 28 in the league. Barring a change in philosophy from offensive coordinator Joe Brady, we shouldn’t expect to see a lot of Knox and Kincaid on the field at the same time.
Battle to watch
Buffalo Bills position preview: Who's behind the elite bookends, Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown?
Buffalo was ninth in the NFL in rushing yards (2,230), tied for 11th in yards per carry (4.5) and their 13 runs of 20-plus yards were tied for ninth-most in 2024. Can the offensive tackle group take another big step in 2025?
Jackson Hawes vs. Zach Davidson. If there was such a thing as spring MVP, it might be Davidson over the past couple years. He seems to find a way to consistently make plays in the practice setting.
Hawes is a bruising tight end known for his blocking skills. If he shows enough as a blocker, he could replace offensive lineman Alec Anderson in the team’s “jumbo” package, giving the scheme a bit more versatility. The spring was a small sample size, but he showed some good hands, at times, too. As a fifth-round pick, he’s got a clear path to a roster spot, so it would take a really special camp by Davidson to unseat the rookie.
Under-the-radar player
Keleki Latu. He spent time at Cal, Nevada and Washington during his college career. With the Huskies in 2024, he had 40 catches for 371 yards and four touchdowns. He’s got a pretty complete all-around game coming into the league. Latu’s brother, Laiatu, was a first-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts last season as an edge rusher, so athletic success runs in the family. It’s an uphill battle at a position that is fairly set, barring injuries, but Latu could at least push for a spot on the team’s practice squad.
0 Comments
Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter
Sent weekly directly to your inbox!