Availability has been the problem with Dalton Kincaid, and that’s why the Bills tight end feels like such a swing piece heading into 2026.
Buffalo traded up to draft Kincaid in 2023 because the team believed he could become a major part of the offense. The talent has shown up in flashes. The issue has been keeping him on the field long enough to turn those flashes into something bigger.
Kincaid has been dealing with a knee injury since the middle of the 2024 season, and that carried into last season too. Over the last two years, he has missed at least four games in each season, a hit to both his own rhythm and the offense’s overall production.
ESPN’s Ben Solak pegged Kincaid as Buffalo’s X-factor this season, and the case makes sense if Kincaid can finally stay healthy.
" In 2024, Kincaid suffered a PCL injury to his left knee that never fully recovered. In 2025, he dealt with knee and hamstring issues throughout the season, and Kincaid has said he played on a limited number of snaps even when he was available. He played 368 snaps last season and averaged about 37% of the snaps in the games he played -- both the total and rate were well below that of fellow tight ends Dawson Knox and rookie Jackson Hawes." said Solak.
" Even across two injury-riddled seasons, Kincaid leads all tight ends in targets per route (27.8%) and is second only to George Kittle in yards per route (2.26)." Solak added.
The Bills’ offseason move for DJ Moore changes the picture around Kincaid, too. Moore gives Buffalo a legitimate No. 1 receiver, and that should make the offense more dangerous under Joe Brady. It also creates a cleaner setup for Kincaid, who could find himself facing more one-on-one coverage.
That’s the opening. Kincaid has already shown he can make plays. If the health finally cooperates in 2026, this could be the season people point to as the one where he mattered in a much bigger way.
In Other News...
Sean McDermott Just Added Fuel To Buffalos 2026 Hype
Sean McDermotts name still carries weight around Orchard Park, and his latest comments only added to the sense that Buffalos runway is getting longer, not shorter. After the Bills spent the offseason making moves to strengthen the roster, including the trade for DJ Moore, McDermott said he believes the team has the kind of makeup to remain in the Super Bowl conversation, even going as far as to forecast a Bills-Rams matchup in Super Bowl LXI.
McDermott also made clear he is not done chasing the sideline spotlight himself. He said he wants another shot to return as an NFL head coach and still has his eyes on winning a world championship with a future organization, a reminder that his bond with Buffalos rise is still part of a bigger coaching story. For Bills fans, the praise is welcome, but the more intriguing part may be whether this kind of confidence turns into something even more tangible over the next few seasons. [Read more 🡒]
Bills New Defense Could Push Greg Gaines Into A Bigger Role
The Bills shift under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is already reshaping the front seven, and Greg Gaines is one of the players positioned to benefit from it. Buffalo signed the veteran defensive lineman to a one-year deal, giving the team an experienced option as it moves toward an odd-man front and asks more of its interior defenders.
Gaines brings the kind of versatility that fits a defense still sorting out its personnel, with the ability to work as a rotational nose tackle and line up at multiple spots across a three-man front. With depth at nose tackle not especially deep, his path to a larger role looks realistic, even if the final pecking order in the middle is still very much up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Secondary Depth Could Suddenly Matter More Than Fans Expected
Buffalos secondary already has enough pressure on it without adding another name to the mix, but Asante Samuel Jr. has emerged as a possible depth option if the Bills decide they want more insurance for the stretch run. The veteran corner is on a one-year deal with Pittsburgh, and even with recent injury issues, he still brings the kind of earlier-career production that can make him worth a closer look for a team trying to keep pace with the AFCs best.
The timing is what makes this interesting. Pittsburgh could consider moving Samuel around the trade deadline, and if that happens, the Bills would have to decide how aggressively they want to chase help at a spot that can swing a playoff game in a hurry. For a roster built with a Super Bowl run in mind, secondary depth is the sort of thing that usually only gets noticed when it is suddenly in short supply. [Read more 🡒]