Bills Tight Ends on the Roster Bubble vs. Roster Locks

When the Buffalo Bills head for training camp at the end of the month, there won’t be a whole lot left to be decided within the team’s tight end room.

Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes are currently roster locks, as the trio hopes to once again help the Bills as one of the most talented TE groups in the NFL. And one of the most diverse.

Kincaid was exceptional in his ability to impact the passing game a season ago, as his expected points added [EPA] per target of +0.79 was the second-best mark in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats. But he managed to play just 12 games and that number must increase this year.

Knox was the jack of all trades for Buffalo in 2025, as he proved to be a critical with Kincaid in and out of the lineup. Knox finished last year with the third-most receiving yards on the team [417], while adding four touchdown receptions, which were tied for second most.

Finally, Hawes was a revelation for the Bills during his rookie year. His versatility as a blocker and as a pass catcher was much more than expected. Hawes earned an outstanding Pro Football Focus run block grade of 74.2 in his first professional season, which was better than that of starting center Connor McGovern [68.7] and starting left guard David Edwards [66.3].

Two players destined for the practice squad

When you look beyond Buffalo’s top three options at the position, the Bills’ two other tight ends are highly unlikely to make the team. Keleki Latu and Shane Zylstra are both destined for the practice squad.

The Bills welcomed Latu as an undrafted free agent last season, when he played five games, recording four receptions for 35 yards. He was primarily a special teams contributor during his time on the field, playing 43% of the snaps in that phase.

Buffalo signed Zylstra on May 12 after he spent the first five seasons of his career with the Detroit Lions. He played in six games with Detroit in 2025, including three starts, during which he played 41% of the team’s offensive snaps and 41% of the Lions’ special teams snaps. His best season came in 2022, when he recorded 11 receptions, with four of them going for touchdowns. He stands 6-foot-4, weighing 244 pounds and will turn 30 years old during the 2026 season.

So, at the end of the day, there might not be any player truly on the roster bubble at tight end, but there will be plenty to watch. The two most intriguing things to keep an eye on at training camp will be whether Kincaid deals with any load management and whether the Bills have more extensive plans for Hawes in Year 2.

Add us as a preferred source on Google