Buffalo is different. Most NFL teams treat the tight end position like a luxury or a glorified tackle, but under Joe Brady’s full-time direction, the Bills TE depth chart has become the literal engine of the offense. If you watched any tape from the 2024 season into the current 2025 stretch, you know the deal. It isn't just about having a big body to catch a seam route. It’s about stress. It’s about forcing a linebacker to decide if he’s fast enough to cover a guy who moves like a slot receiver. Spoiler: he usually isn't.
Josh Allen needs outlets. With the wide receiver room undergoing so much turnover since the Stefon Diggs era, the tight ends aren't just secondary options anymore. They are the primary reads.
The Unquestioned Alpha: Dalton Kincaid
Dalton Kincaid is the name. Everything starts with him. When the Bills traded up to grab him out of Utah, people questioned if a "move" tight end was worth a first-round pick. Those questions died pretty quickly. Kincaid doesn't play like a traditional tight end. Honestly, he’s a jumbo wideout who happens to be 240 pounds.
He’s the guy.
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In 12-personnel packages—that’s one running back and two tight ends for the uninitiated—Kincaid is usually the one flexed out wide or in the slot. His gravity is real. Because he can win one-on-one against safeties, he clears out the middle of the field for guys like Khalil Shakir. Last season, we saw his catch rate hover at elite levels. He doesn't drop the ball. If Allen puts it in his zip code, it’s a completion.
But there’s a nuance here that most people miss when looking at the Bills TE depth chart. Kincaid’s value isn't just in his yardage. It’s in his "success rate." On third-and-medium, he is the security blanket. He understands zone voids better than almost any young player in the league. You’ll see him find a soft spot, sit down, and give Allen a massive target. It's simple, but it's deadly.
The Enforcer: Dawson Knox
Then you have Dawson Knox. It’s easy to overlook him now that Kincaid is the shiny new toy, but that’s a mistake. Knox is the grit. While Kincaid is the finesse, Knox is the guy doing the dirty work in the trenches. He’s a superior blocker, which is why you’ll still see him playing a massive chunk of the snaps.
Knox is paid like a starter because he is one.
His chemistry with Josh Allen is legendary at this point. They’ve been through the wars together. When a play breaks down and Allen starts doing that "Josh Allen thing" where he scrambles for ten seconds, Knox is usually the one finding a way to get open in the back of the end zone. He’s got that scramble-drill intuition you can't coach.
The Bills TE depth chart relies on this duality. You have the "U" tight end (Kincaid) and the "Y" tight end (Knox). Most teams have one or the other. Buffalo has both. It allows them to stay in the same personnel grouping but change the entire look of the offense. They can go from a heavy run look to a spread passing attack without making a single substitution. That's a nightmare for defensive coordinators trying to call plays from the sideline.
The Search for the Third Wheel
Behind the big two, things get a bit more experimental. The Bills have cycled through guys like Quintin Morris and various undrafted free agents or late-round flyers. Morris has been a steady hand—a special teams ace who can fill in without being a liability.
He’s basically the insurance policy.
In the NFL, you’re always one rolled ankle away from disaster. If Kincaid or Knox goes down, the entire offensive identity changes. That’s why the bottom of the Bills TE depth chart matters more than people think. They need someone who can at least pretend to be a threat in the passing game so defenses don't just ignore them.
We’ve seen the front office take swings on athletic traits. They want guys who can run. If you look at the practice squad or the end of the roster, it’s usually filled with converted basketball players or high-SPARQ athletes. They’re looking for the next diamond in the rough. It’s a smart strategy. You can't teach 6'5" and a 40-inch vertical. You can teach a guy how to chip a defensive end on his way to a flat route.
Why 12 Personnel Is the Buffalo Way
Let’s talk strategy for a second because this is where the Bills TE depth chart actually wins games. In 2024, the Bills utilized 12 personnel at one of the highest rates in the league. Why? Because it breaks the modern NFL defense.
Defenses are getting smaller. They use sub-packages with extra defensive backs to stop the pass. When Buffalo puts Kincaid and Knox on the field at the same time, the defense has a choice.
- Stay in "Base" defense with three linebackers to stop the run. (Kincaid then torches a slow linebacker in the passing game).
- Go to "Nickel" with an extra corner. (Buffalo runs the ball right down their throats because Knox and the offensive line out-muscle the small DBs).
It’s a "pick your poison" scenario.
Joe Brady loves this. He’s moved away from the static, predictable formations of the past. Now, the tight ends are moving parts. They’re in motion. They’re lining up in the backfield. Sometimes Knox is the lead blocker for James Cook while Kincaid is running a deep crosser. It’s beautiful, chaotic football.
The Salary Cap Reality
We have to talk about the money. Knox has a significant cap hit. Kincaid is on his rookie deal, but that won't last forever. Managing the Bills TE depth chart is a financial balancing act for Brandon Beane.
Eventually, choices have to be made.
Can you afford to pay two tight ends top-tier money? Probably not long-term. This puts pressure on the coaching staff to continue developing cheap talent at the bottom of the roster. It also means Kincaid has to eventually transition into being the clear-cut #1 in all facets, including blocking. He’s improved there, but he’s not Dawson Knox yet. Not even close.
What This Means for the 2025 Season
Heading into the meat of the 2025 season, the Bills TE depth chart is the stablest part of the roster. While the WR corps is still figuring out its hierarchy between rookies and vets, the tight ends are the "old guards."
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Expect Allen to lean on them heavily in the red zone.
The red zone is where this group shines. The windows get smaller. Everything happens faster. You need big targets with huge catch radiuses. Kincaid’s ability to "box out" defenders like a power forward makes him a nightmare in the corner of the end zone. Meanwhile, Knox is the master of the "leak" play where he hides behind the line and then slips out uncovered while everyone follows the motion.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you’re trying to track how the Bills are evolving, stop looking at the wide receiver targets for a minute and watch the tight end snaps.
- Watch the Snap Counts: If Kincaid and Knox are both over 70% in a game, the Bills are trying to bully the opponent physically.
- The "Slot" Metric: Keep an eye on how often Kincaid is lined up in the slot. If that number goes up, he’s effectively functioning as the WR2.
- Red Zone Targets: This is the barometer for trust. If Allen is looking for the TEs on 3rd down in the red zone, the offense is "on schedule."
The Bills TE depth chart isn't just a list of names on a website. It’s the blueprint for how Buffalo plans to win a Super Bowl without a superstar "X" receiver. They’re betting that two elite tight ends are better than one elite wideout. So far, the gamble is looking pretty good.
Keep an eye on the injury reports, though. Because this offense is so reliant on the specific skill sets of Kincaid and Knox, any missed time from either player forces a massive schematic shift. The drop-off from the "Big Two" to the rest of the pack is significant. That’s the risk you run when you build around unique talents. But for now, the Bills have a mismatch nightmare that 31 other teams are still trying to figure out how to stop. It’s not about finding a "tight end stopper" anymore; it’s about finding two of them. Good luck with that.
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Next Steps for Deep Analysis:
To truly understand the impact of this group, monitor the Success Rate vs. Man Coverage for Dalton Kincaid over the next four weeks. If he continues to beat bracket coverage, it will force defenses to pull a safety out of the box, directly increasing James Cook’s yards per carry. Also, watch the waiver wire for any veteran TE additions; the Bills are known for adding a "blocking specialist" late in the season to fortify the heavy sets for a playoff run.