Bills' Dalton Kincaid Forgoes Knee Surgery After Receiving Expert Advice

The Bills' tight end has dealt with a nagging knee injury the past few seasons and explained why he has not gotten the ailment repaired.

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Wild Card Round game at EverBank Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Among the updates revealed at the start of Buffalo Bills OTAs was one concerning the health of tight end Dalton Kincaid.

The Bills’ top tight end has dealt with a nagging knee injury dating back to the 2024 season, which has led to nine games missed over the past two years, but he has still decided to forego surgery. On Tuesday, he explained the expert advice he received that led to him continuing to rehab the injury instead of going under the knife.

“After the season ended, I talked to a lot of doctors who know a lot more than I do regarding the PCL and everything that has to do with health, and they advised against it,” said Kincaid to WGR 550 AM’s Sal Capaccio. “So, believe them and that kind of went into setting a good foundation for strength around the [knee] to support it…..got plenty of opinions from people, you know, great doctors, a bunch of team doctors around the league, and so I went with their suggestions and opinions.”

Kincaid added how he feels as good as he has since sustaining the injury years ago.

“I’d say it’s probably the best I’ve felt in my career at this point in the year,” said the Bills’ tight end while addressing the media. “Not having those thoughts of the knee [like] last year and at this point, I feel really good. Not even thinking about it out there.”

So, while many have criticized the decision for Kincaid to move forward without surgery, he believes he has a good handle on things and is set for a big season in 2026.

Kincaid is efficient when healthy

Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) makes a catch defended by New York Jets cornerback Samuel Womack III (39) during the first half at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Bills’ tight end was incredibly efficient when on the field a season ago, recording an average of 14.6 yards per reception and securing five touchdown grabs. Despite missing five games, Kincaid finished second on the Bills in receiving yards last year, recording 571 yards while securing 39 of 49 targets.

His catch percentage of 80% was a vast improvement from the year before, when he hauled in 44 of 75 targets [58%]. Getting the fourth-year pro back to full health should only increase his efficacy while helping the Bills’ passing game reach new heights in 2026.

With new faces such as free-agent addition DJ Moore and fourth-round pick Skyler Bell in tow, the Bills’ passing game appears much improved in the early going of the offseason. And with Kincaid’s health trending up, the sky is the limit for this group.

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