As expected, the Bills will pick up tight end Dalton Kincaid‘s fifth-year option, Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News reports. Kincaid is in line to earn $8.16MM in 2027.
After Kincaid hauled in 70 receptions for 890 yards and eight touchdowns in his final college season, the Bills traded up two spots for the former Utah standout in the 2023 draft. The Bills selected Kincaid 25th overall, though injuries have prevented the three-year veteran from maximizing his potential in the NFL.
Kincaid missed just one game during his rookie season, in which the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder racked up 73 catches, 673 yards and a pair of touchdowns. However, various maladies kept Kincaid out of a combined nine games over the past two years. The problems began when Kincaid tore his left PCL in a Week 10 win over the Colts in 2024. Kincaid, who missed a month, finished the year with a disappointing 44 catches, 448 yards and two scores in 13 games.
While continuing to play through a balky knee last season, Kincaid also dealt with oblique and hamstring issues. Although Kincaid totaled just 12 appearances, he offered quality production. The 26-year-old caught 39 of 49 targets – good for an 80% success rate – for 571 yards. He easily set career highs in yards per catch (14.6) and TDs (five). Quarterbacks Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky combined for a spectacular 149.2 passer rating when targeting Kincaid, per Next Gen Stats. Kincaid, who led the league’s tight ends in that category, was also a factor in the playoffs. Along with a team-high two TD catches, Kincaid ranked second among Bills in receptions (nine) and yards (111) over a pair of postseason games.
It is unknown if the Bills will explore a Kincaid extension, but regardless, they are in position to keep a strong tight end group intact for at least another two seasons. The Bills gave Dawson Knox a new three-year deal earlier this month, while blocking specialist Jackson Hawes still has three seasons left on his rookie contract. Head coach Joe Brady, then Buffalo’s offensive coordinator, relied heavily on his tight ends in 2025. Kincaid only played 302 offensive snaps as a result of his injuries, but Knox (653) and Hawes (487) combined for 1,140.