Overlooked TE Dawson Knox fit for expanded role in revamped Buffalo Bills offense

Dalton Kincaid is a first-round pick after a productive rookie season and looks poised to stand out even more as a second-year tight end in the Buffalo Bills offense.

Kincaid will most likely move from a secondary option to a primary target for quarterback Josh Allen in 2024, but his projected production shouldn’t overshadow the potential of the team’s veteran tight end.

Dawson Knox’s 2023 receiving stats (22-186-2) have been a serious disappointment, although his wrist injury apparently has a lot to do with the drop in productivity. Despite last year’s decline, there are signs pointing to a resurgence for Knox in what will be the former third-round pick’s sixth season in the NFL.

Prior to 2023, Knox surpassed the 500 receiving yard mark in consecutive seasons and had 15 touchdown receptions while being targeted 136 times in both years of the regular season. He’s been one of Allen’s favorite targets in the red zone for some time and has caught five first-quarter touchdown passes in playoff games.

Knox has certainly earned Allen’s trust, and their bond extends beyond the field as well, as the two are reportedly close friends, having played together for five seasons and counting.

The powerful 6-foot-4 Knox has the size and run-after-catch ability to secure a portion of the targets that were once assigned to receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, who are no longer on the roster. Diggs (160) and Davis (81) combined for 241 targets last year, so there are plenty of looks to give away.

Buffalo is likely looking at an increase in two-TE sets with Knox and Kincaid on the field simultaneously.

“The number of different guys we have there (at receiver), really, you can almost add Dalton and Dawson as well,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said during league meetings in late March.

Add it all up and a bounce-back season appears on the horizon for the 27-year-old Knox.