Orchard Park, N.Y. — [Buffalo Bills](https://www.syracuse.com/buffalo-bills/) coach Sean McDermott didn’t waste any time once last season ended making sure young tight end Dalton Kincaid knew what his job was this offseason.
McDermott wanted Kincaid, who dealt with a knee injury for the first time in career last season, to get stronger.
The Bills made drastic changes to their strength and conditioning coaching staff this offseason. Longtime locker room favorite Will Greenberg was promoted to head strength and training coach and immediately linked up with Kincaid to put together a plan for 2025.
“He’s already got it all planned out,” Kincaid told Syracuse.com in an interview this week. “He’s so geeked out about it, which is awesome. He had me lifting at some gym (last) weekend in Charlotte. ... And it’s fun. He’s motivated. He’s there with you.
“Me and him are talking, and he’s like, ‘Yeah, I’ll probably be lifting with you some of the days.’ So he’s like, ‘I get to get jacked with you.’ But he’s definitely thinking ahead.”
Kincaid sustained a torn PCL in his knee during the season in 2024 and played through it. One of the challenges of this offseason has been balancing his rehab for the injury with his plans to get stronger.
“I’ve never really dealt with that type of injury, knees and stuff,” he said. “Spent a lot of time with Will, figuring out when (the right time was to increase training). So got to spend most of the offseason (in Buffalo) just kind of figuring all that out. And then as you got out on the field, you got to learn how to navigate that as well. So I feel pretty good where I’m at right now. Obviously, I like to look at it like day to day as opposed to long term. So long term, it’s huge strides, as opposed to day to day. In the grand scheme of things, I feel like I’ve come a long way health wise, which is huge.”
Kincaid’s 2024 season didn’t quite meet the lofty expectations his rookie season performance helped create. He had fewer targets, receptions and yards in his second year than in his rookie campaign, where he set the franchise receiving record for a tight end with 73 receptions.
The NFL can be a hard place for young players to find their comfort zone - especially tight ends. The depth of knowledge required to play Kincaid’s position usually means players take up to three seasons to truly feel comfortable.
“I think just the game just slows down each year,” Kincaid said. “And I look forward to that going into year three, from year one to year two, it slows down a little bit. You start to see things and tendencies, and you become familiar with a lot of teams and their defenses and the defensive coordinators and what they like to do. So I think just familiarity and experience and it’s slowing down the game, which makes it easier out there.”
Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins has noticed a more mature Kincaid already during Organized Team Activities (OTAs). The nine-year NFL veteran is excited for the Bills to be on Hard Knocks this summer because he thinks Kincaid is going to be one of the breakout stars of the show.
“He’s going to explode,” Dawkins said. “Dalton’s ready. ... Dalton is just Dalton, times 12. ... But, you know, practice one, it shows, but you really can’t tell anything yet. But he’s moving around here with the pep in his step.”
Kincaid has spent time with quarterback Josh Allen this summer. The two throw together, hang out, and talk football and golf. Kincaid said another part of his game that he expects to make a jump in 2025 is his chemistry with Allen.
The approach in the weight room is different for each player in the NFL. Back in college, every player met up in the gym and did the same workout. In the pros, the results usually are dependent on the details.
“Here, you you get to learn what works for your body and what doesn’t and Will’s been huge on that,” he said. “Everyone’s got certain things they gotta do each day, just kind of figuring everybody out individually. But I think it’s an ongoing thing. I don’t know if you ever really figure it out, your body changes and keeps developing, and I think you just kind of adjust on the fly.”
McDermott was asked about Kincaid and second-year receiver Keon Coleman before Tuesday’s OTAs practice. Both players needed to hit the weight room this offseason and McDermott has been impressed with what he’s seen so far.
“Those guys are in that weight room and they’re working hard,” he said. “I mean, if you had a chance to get in there, you’d see the sweat equity and the time that’s being put into that room. ... So the attitude, the attendance, the guys understand what it takes and they’re focused.”