The Forgotten Man of the Bills’ Attack

Not long ago, Dawson Knox was the undisputed future of the Buffalo Bills tight end position. In 2021, he set a franchise record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end with nine and added 587 yards on 49 receptions. He followed that up in 2022 by scoring six touchdowns to go along with another 48 receptions and 517 yards, but injuries began to mount for the Ole Miss product.

At that point, he had been listed with a concussion, calf strain, fractured wrist, sprained foot and hamstring strain. The feasibility of his long-term hold on Buffalo’s tight end position was called into question after the Bills selected Dalton Kincaid in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and after the 2023 season, the questions seem justified.

Knox again struggled with injury issues throughout the season, with a broken hand in Week 5 putting him on IR after Week 7 and forcing him to miss five games. Kincaid also emerged toward the end of the campaign, emerging as the primary tight end as he outplayed Knox in 10 of the Bills’ final 12 games. The veteran finished the season with just two touchdowns, 22 receptions and 186 yards.

Related: Bills QB Josh Allen explains what attracted him to Keon Coleman during the pre-draft process

The good news for Knox and Kincaid is that the Bills have used 12 players (1 running back and 2 tight ends) nearly 20% of the time in 2023. Not only have they deployed two tight ends often, but they’ve been good at it. Buffalo finished 8th in EPA (expected points added) with 12 players with a 0.08 EPA. Knox spoke about using two tight ends during OTAs: “It’s something I’m looking forward to. Obviously, I’m a little biased, but the more you can have 12 players, the more the defense has to respect the run and the pass… So it’s fun to have that versatility.”

Knox has also begun to take on a leadership role as he enters his sixth season with the Bills. “I think Josh and Dion are the only guys on offense that have been here longer than me. So I think it’s taking that leadership to the next level and having that extra confidence to speak up when I see something that’s not right,” Knox told reporters this offseason. “It’s an extra level of responsibility, but I’ve enjoyed it so far.”

That leadership also gives Knox a first-in, last-out attitude as coaching evolves in 2024. “On the field, it’s been great to work on extra things after practice. Whether it’s extra routes we need or new plays, Joe Brady has done a great job of getting us the new facilities. The more reps you get, the more prepared you are for camp.” He added insight into how he and Kincaid are working together to develop Buffalo’s offense: “The more reps Dalton and I get on the field, the more reps we get one-on-one with Josh. And the more we get to know Joe (Brady) off the field, it’s going to help with that communication.”

As for where the 2022 Pro Bowler fits into the 2024 scheme, offensive coordinator Joe Brady is still singing his praises: “He’s huge for our offense. From a leadership standpoint, just the fact that he moves everywhere. Him in the passing game, he’s got a unique skill set as a receiver. Seeing his growth in the running game. He’s a complete tight end… It hurt us not to have him last year, so I’m excited to see him move at full speed. He’s a huge asset for us.”

How does all this translate into the Bills’ new offense? Only time will tell. The Bills’ first preseason game is scheduled for Saturday, August 1 at 1:00 p.m., when they host the Chicago Bears.

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