Dalton Kincaid spent part of the offseason running go routes with Josh Allen, and on Thursday in Cleveland, that work showed up in a big way.
The Bills tight end got behind the Browns defense on a deep seam look, Allen dropped it in perfectly, and Kincaid finished the play for an uncontested touchdown. It was the standout moment of a joint practice that also gave Buffalo a look at how its passing game can function when some key receivers are missing.
Buffalo was without Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir, both dealing with injuries according to coach Joe Brady, but Kincaid kept rolling. Allen said the connection between the two has sharpened over the summer.
“I feel like we’re really clicking and on the same page right now,” Allen said. “He opens up so much.
He’s a tough matchup for linebackers. I think he’s a tough matchup for cornerbacks for that matter.
He just continues to make plays and be elusive.”
The tight end group made its presence felt beyond Kincaid, too. Dawson Knox caught a few passes, and second-year tight end Jackson Hawes scored twice. One of Hawes’ touchdowns came during an 11-on-11 stretch in which the Bills offense had been bottled up with stuffed runs and a pair of incompletions before Hawes slipped free for an easy Allen target.
There were other offensive storylines worth watching, especially in the backfield. Ty Johnson has been sidelined since early in camp, and that has opened the door for Frank Gore Jr. and Ian Wheeler to keep stacking plays. Both had scored against the Panthers last week, and both found the end zone again against Cleveland.
Wheeler delivered the run of the day when he lowered his pads and ran over safety Daniel Thomas, drawing a huge reaction from the Bills sideline before getting forced out near the goal line. Gore Jr. answered with a long touchdown of his own, bursting through a lane created by guard Armaj Reed-Adams and racing about 40 yards to pay dirt. Johnson still looks like the favorite for the third running back job, but Wheeler and Gore have made this more than a quiet competition.
On the other side of the ball, Buffalo got a turnover from Jordan Hancock, who stepped right into a Deshaun Watson throw and took it back the other way. It was the biggest defensive play of the day and a continuation of what has been a strong summer for Hancock.
The cornerback room remains a spot to watch. Jim Leonhard has been clear that Maxwell Hairston can handle man coverage in Buffalo’s new scheme, but Thursday was uneven for Hairston in his work against rookie Denzel Boston. Boston created separation repeatedly, though Hairston finished the day with a strong pass breakup and nearly came up with an interception to end Buffalo’s two-minute drill.
Buffalo drafted Davison Igbinosun to add depth at corner, and if Hairston has early-season trouble, Igbinosun could be in line for more work.
The Bills also got encouraging work from the defensive front. Landon Jackson and T.J.
Sanders stood out in run defense, each blowing up a play during 11-on-11 work. Buffalo is expected to lean on both linemen in rotation at one defensive end spot, and Thursday offered a glimpse of what they can do when the Browns tried to test the ground game.
The pass rush had its moments, too. Greg Rousseau got to the quarterback with a combination of speed and power for a would-be sack, and Bradley Chubb added another during the two-minute drill. If Jim Leonhard’s defense is going to hit its stride in year one, getting consistent pressure from Rousseau and Chubb will matter a lot.
The practice also had an edge to it. Things got chippy throughout the day, with the special teams return segment drawing the most heat.
On Buffalo’s side, Sam Franklin Jr. and C.J. Gardner-Johnson were among the loudest voices, and even though Gardner-Johnson did not play while working back from injury, the trash talk was in full gear.
In Other News...
Bills Fans Already Face A New Stadium Access Problem
The move to the new Highmark Stadium is already changing the way Bills fans will experience game days. Individual home-game tickets are hard to come by, and the ones that do pop up are going for more than what season ticket holders pay, which is a sharp turn from the kind of last-minute planning many fans are used to. For plenty of people who have long treated Orchard Park as a place you could still reach on short notice, the new setup looks far less forgiving.
Most of the available tickets are expected to come through the secondary market, which makes spontaneous attendance much tougher and adds another layer to an already high-demand environment. The Bills are also leaning into the buzz around the new building by offering behind-the-scenes tours, a sign that interest in the stadium itself is becoming part of the experience. What remains to be seen is how many fans will be able to get inside on their own terms once the novelty wears off. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Needs More From Dalton Kincaid Than Ever
Dalton Kincaid enters the 2026 season in a familiar spot for the Bills: full of promise, but still needing to turn flashes into something steadier. Buffalo has already committed to him by picking up his fifth-year contract option, and the timing matters with Joe Brady now taking over as head coach after previously running the offense. Brady knows exactly what Kincaid can bring when he is healthy, and the next step is getting more of it on a weekly basis.
Josh Allens recent praise of their connection during joint practices only adds to the sense that Kincaids role is about to matter even more. The chemistry is there, or at least trending in the right direction, and the Bills have spent enough time waiting for Kincaid to stay on the field and become the kind of mismatch he was drafted to be. What remains is the part Buffalo has been chasing from him since day one, the kind of dependable production that could make this offense look very different if it shows up when the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Just Became Part Of A Browns QB Decision To Watch
A joint practice in Buffalo gave the Browns another look at their quarterback situation, and it did not exactly produce a clean answer. Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson both had mixed throws during the session, leaving the battle for the Browns starting job still very much in view as the preseason gets moving.
Watson has reportedly held the edge in the competition, but Sanders is set to start the upcoming preseason game, which should give Cleveland another data point before the real decision gets made. Browns coach Todd Monken has suggested veteran starters may sit out that game, and the Week 1 quarterback choice could come shortly after, keeping the Bills tied to one of the AFCs more closely watched camp stories. [Read more 🡒]