Dalton Kincaid Outlook: Better Chemistry Must Be Established With Josh Allen

Examining Dalton Kincaid’s journey and critical factors in his performance.

Buffalo Bills General Manager Brandon Beane entered the 2023 NFL Draft desiring to add a playmaker for superstar quarterback Josh Allen.

“Hoping on offense that we would add a weapon. I really was,” Beane said in his post-draft press conference. “We were looking for guys to add to our skill positions… whether it’s a receiver, tight end, whatever it is… another weapon.”

That search led Beane to move to the No. 25 pick and select Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid. Beane was so enamored with Kincaid that he traded a fourth-round selection to jump up just two spots to land his guy. The Dallas Cowboys were picking 26th and were expected to be in the market for a tight end, so Buffalo vaulted over them.

For a franchise that never truly had a dynamic receiving presence at the tight end position, there was plenty of intrigue for what Kincaid could bring to Buffalo’s offense, especially in an era of football where the best offenses had a legitimate threat in that spot. The likes of Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, Greg Olsen, and George Kittle, among others, were true mismatch players, and Kincaid’s arrival was met with plenty of hope that he could be that player for Allen.

Kincaid got a late start to playing football and didn’t play the game until his senior year of high school. He was a no-star recruit who initially didn’t plan to play college sports and even considered studying abroad. Before Kincaid went that route, smaller programs contacted him about playing football, and he eventually opted to sign with San Diego, a non-scholarship FCS team, to play tight end.

In two seasons at San Diego, Kincaid hauled in 68 receptions for 1,209 yards and 19 touchdowns. Kincaid transferred to Utah, continuing his football journey and developing into a first-round NFL Draft pick. At Utah, Kincaid collected 105 receptions for 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Kincaid delivered a promising rookie campaign for the Bills, setting a new single-season franchise record for receptions (73) by a tight end and the second-most yards (673). Pete Metzelaars’ record of 68 receptions by a tight end stood for 30 years before Kincaid topped it.

Kincaid’s numbers weren’t only impressive compared to Buffalo’s tight end history but also when measured against the entire NFL. Kincaid finished seventh in receptions and 10th in yards as a rookie in 2023.

Buffalo’s receiving options around Allen experienced a significant transition after Kincaid’s rookie season in 2023. After finishing as Buffalo’s top-2 receivers in 2022 and 2023, the Bills traded Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans and let Gabriel Davis walk in free agency to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. This put Kincaid front and center as Allen’s new go-to weapon in the passing game. After all, he did lead Buffalo in receiving yards over the last 13 games of his rookie season, and the team traded up in the first round to acquire his services.

The stage was set for a monster year from Kincaid during his sophomore campaign, and expectations were high.