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Bills head coach shares promising update on Dalton Kincaid
The Buffalo Bills still have high hopes for tight end Dalton Kincaid, despite his injury history.
Buffalo selected Kincaid in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he was expected to be a key part of the offense. At times, Kincaid has been a huge part of the Bills’ offense, but his knee and other injuries have been an issue.
Yet, ahead of his fourth season in the NFL, Buffalo still needs Kincaid to take another step. The Bills picked up his fifth-year option, and Brady is confident he can make an impact this season.
“You saw him in the playoffs,” Brady said about Kincaid. “He’s a difference-maker.”
Kincaid recorded 39 receptions for 571 yards and 5 touchdowns last season with the Bills. In the playoffs, he had 9 receptions for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Although Brady is confident in Kincaid, his health remains an issue. He was limited to 12 games last season and 13 the year prior as he’s been plagued by injuries. But if he can stay on the field, Brady is confident Kincaid will continue to be a difference-maker this season.
Bills Being Careful With Kincaid
Although the NFL season is still months away, the Bills are being cautious with Kincaid and his knee injury.
Kincaid dealt with a left knee injury, which was a torn PCL that he has declined to have surgically repaired. That led to other complications last year. He also struggled with hamstring and oblique injuries.
So, ahead of OTAs and training camp, Brady said the team will be cautious in how much practice he gets into.
“He is as tough as can be,” Brady said. “There’s a lot of things that he is pushing through that you guys might not see, and I think some of it is just learning how to play with certain elements of some movements that might not feel great, and he’s had to push through that.
“But when he’s out there, we’re better. That’s undeniable, and getting a plan with our strength staff, with our science-performance team of figuring out what that looks like week-to-week … How much does he have to practice so that he’s ready to go? What do we have to do with his movements? Because I’m understanding how important he is.”
Kincaid was a Pro Bowler in 2025.
Kincaid Was on Snap Counts Last Season
Not only did Kincaid miss games last season, but when he did play, he was on snap counts.
Kincaid averaged just 3.3 catches and 47.6 yards per game in the regular season, after playing a career-low 38 percent of his available offensive snaps. It was a disappointing season, so keeping Kincaid on the field is key for Brady.
“I do believe practice is important,” said Brady, “but I also don’t want a guy where he does so much in practice that he can’t be the same person in the game. …
“You can’t really predict the future with regards to the medical element of it. But, man, you guys saw him in the playoffs. He’s a difference-maker, and you get him in matchups — both safeties, linebackers — you feel like, in the critical moments, Josh is looking his way. But you want him out there.”
So, Brady and the Bills are expecting a big year for Kincaid ahead of his fifth year and extension talks.
Cole Shelton Cole Shelton covers the NHL, MLB and Cleveland Browns for Heavy.com. He has covered pro and college sports since 2016, including bylines at BJ Penn, USA Today, SB Nation, Rotowire, Canadian Baseball Network and more. More about Cole Shelton
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