Brandon Beane Officially Registers $10.74 Million Bargain for Bills' TD Catch Leader

The Buffalo Bills will have the services of their top pass-catching tight end for at least two more seasons.

The Bills have officially picked up the fifth-year option on Dalton Kincaid's rookie contract, which now runs through the 2027 season.

The deadline to decide on options for 2023 first-round draft picks is May 1, but Buffalo has already taken care of business according to general manager Brandon Beane.

"We actually turned that in," said Beane in a media scrum at the owners meetings in Phoenix on March 30. "We have notified him and his agent that we picked that up. That secures him for the next two seasons."

Brandon Beane, president of football operations and general manager for the Buffalo BIlls during a press conference in Orchard Park on Jan. 29, 2026. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A relative bargain

With Kincaid's fifth-year option coming in more than one-half of a million dollars less than Spotrac's initial projection ($8.73 million), the Bills will essentially pay $10.74 million total over the next two seasons.

After earning $2.581 million in cash for 2026, the Bills will pay Kincaid $8.162 million in 2027. Both prices are relative bargains considering the tight end's production.

Kincaid, who has averaged 564 receiving yards per season, will make less than Cincinnati Bengals' tight end Mike Gesicki in 2027. Gesicki averages 479 receiving yards per season for his career.

Kincaid's 2026 number is minuscule when compared to the $19 million average annual value that George Kittle and Trey McBride have secured.

Jan 17, 2026; Denver, CO, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) celebrates after a touchdown | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Kincaid's presence easily noticeable

The 26-year-old Kincaid proved highly valuable to the Bills' offense in 2025, rebounding from an underwhelming sophomore campaign.

Despite playing through a torn PCL, the tight end averaged a team-high 14.6 yards per reception (amongst players with at least 20 catches). In addition to a team-high five touchdown receptions over 12 regular season appearances, Kincaid caught TD passes in both of Buffalo's playoff games.

"I did a little study of when Dalton was on the field. We averaged seven more points going into the playoffs with Dalton on the field than without him. If you just look at the things and the mismatch that he can be. We need to keep him healthy. We need to armor him the best we can," said Beane earlier this offseason.

During the regular season, the Bills were 10-2 in games with Kincaid and 2-3 in games without him. In nine of those 10 wins, Buffalo scored 28 or more points.