Bills' Tight End Named Roster Bubble Standout Other Teams Should Covet

The Bills have one of the more impressive TE corps in the NFL, which could leave one promising player off the 53-man roster.

Bills tight end Keleki Latu pulls in a pass during Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Buffalo Bills are considered one of the top contenders in the AFC thanks not only to the presence of superstar players such as Josh Allen and James Cook, but also for their depth.

While the Bills have done a solid job building competition throughout the roster, no position is as strong as tight end. Buffalo has three players capable of starting in Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and Jackson Hawes.

They all bring something special to the table with Kincaid standing out as a dangerous weapon in the passing game and Hawes proving to be one of the league's top blocking tight ends. Knox is the most well-rounded and does just about everything right.

Fourth tight end making noise for Bills

Carolina Panthers linebacker Maema Njongmeta tackles Buffalo Bills tight end Keleki Latu. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That's why there are questions about wether Keleki Latu will make Buffalo's 53-man roster, even though he's put together a strong camp. That includes an impressive outing in their Preseason Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers.

Latu had four receptions for 33 yards, showing he can be a weapon as a receiver. Still, it was his work in blocking that stood out and has Daniel Popper of The Athletic saying Latu will be highly coveted should the Bills waive him.

"Latu’s run blocking was exceptional in the Bills’ 29-14 win over the Panthers on Saturday. He had a pancake block in the fourth quarter that spurred a 16-yard run from running back Frank Gore Jr. Latu also had key blocks on two Buffalo touchdown runs in the fourth quarter," Popper wrote.

"He rounded out the performance with four catches for 33 yards in the passing game. Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes are ahead of Latu in the Bills’ tight end room."

Keleki Latu could remain in Buffalo on the 53-man roster

Bills tight end Keleki Latu steps out of a tackle attempt by the Jets’ Tre Brown as he picks up yards after the catch. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Latu had an interesting path to the NFL, playing for Cal, Nevada, and Washington before going undrafted in 2025. He began the season on the practice squad, but finished the year on the active roster. As a rookie, Latu appeared in five games and caught four passes on four targets for 35 yards.

Waiving him and bringing him back to the practice squad might not be an option this season, which could force the Bills to make a tough decision. Going four deep at tight end might not be in the plans, but knowing that Kincaid has dealt with injuries throughout his career makes a player like Latu even more valuable.

Buffalo would need to go thinner at a position where they have more confidence they can retain players via the practice squad to make it work, but it could be worth it to avoid losing a promising player they have been developing the past two offseasons.

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