How many TEs are ranked above Kincaid?
A common theme found throughout NFL media coverage this offseason has been the lack of confidence in almost everything Buffalo Bills. Whether it be the team’s ability to once again repeat as AFC East champs, their viability as a playoff team at any level, or if quarterback Josh Allen can take the next step in his career, doubt has entered many peoples’ peripheral.
It’s interesting what a mass exodus of players can do to an NFL team. It would appear that general manager Brandon Beane’s decision to say goodbye to several key starters on both sides of the football has reverberated negatively with many paying attention to One Bills Drive.
Long-tenured Bills Mafia members are far too familiar with the roster-shedding practice, having lived through the decisions the team’s original, late owner Ralph Wilson Jr. made via one fell swoop in parting ways with nearly every key player from Buffalo’s famed Super Bowl teams.
In what we’ll term here as “interesting” content from the annals of national sports media coverage, a gambling outfit (rhymes with Sand School) recently ranked each NFL team’s starting tight end. Besides neglecting to include co-starting tight end Dawson Knox, there are perhaps other reasons for Bills fans to take umbrage with the work effort.
In their opinion, tight end Dalton Kincaid doesn’t hold much rank heading into the 2024 NFL regular season. But where, exactly, does Kincaid rank according to this list?
Kincaid isn’t in the top five, nor is he ranked among his peers as a top-10 tight end. Instead, Kincaid lands all the way back to 18th on the list among the other 31 starting tight ends.
Their list, as follows:
- George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers)
- Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs)
- Sam LaPorta (Detroit Lions)
- Mark Andrews (Baltimore Ravens)
- T.J. Hockenson (Minnesota Vikings)
- David Njoku (Cleveland Browns)
- Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia Eagles)
- Trey McBride (Arizona Cardinals)
- Evan Engram (Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Cole Kmet (Chicago Bears)
- Hunter Henry (New England Patriots)
- Dalton Schultz (Houston Texans)
- Kyle Pitts (Atlanta Falcons)
- Noah Fant (Seattle Seahawks)
- Jake Ferguson (Dallas Cowboys)
- Brock Bowers (Las Vegas Raiders)
- Pat Freiermuth (Pittsburgh Steelers)
- Dalton Kincaid (Buffalo Bills)
- Luke Musgrave (Green Bay Packers)
- Tyler Conklin (New York Jets)
- Tyler Higbee (Los Angeles Rams)
- Chigoziem Okoonkwo (Tennessee Titans)
- Jonnu Smith (Miami Dolphins)
- Juwan Johnson (New Orleans Saints)
- Cade Otton (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Mike Gesicki (Cincinnati Bengals)
- Jelani Woods (Indianapolis Colts)
- Zach Ertz (Washington Commanders)
- Daniel Bellinger (New York Giants)
- Adam Trautman (Denver Broncos)
- Tommy Tremble (Carolina Panthers)
- Will Dissly (Los Angeles Chargers)
Dalton Kincaid finished with the most catches by a rookie (73) in #Bills history and surpassed Pete Metzelaars tight end reception record as well.
— Ajay Cybulski (@AjayCybulski) July 9, 2024
Kincaid was in an offense last year that featured Stefon Diggs.
To rank him at No. 18 is wild. Brock Bowers hasn’t even played a… pic.twitter.com/cLEuzwx5pw
It’s a list, sure. Is it a great one? Hardly. Immediately, it’s worth asking whether a deep dive was done for Kincaid’s rookie year. Dalton Kincaid reset several franchise records as a rookie. He now holds the record for most receptions by any Bills rookie receiver (regardless of position), finishing last year’s campaign with 73 receptions for 673 yards and two touchdowns. In the process, he broke Pete Metzelaars’ 30-year-old record for receptions by a Bills tight end (68).
So why is Kincaid ranked so low on this list? I can offer only my opinion. He shared time with Knox, while also playing for an offense that appeared to force its feature of wide receiver Stefon Diggs. His touchdown numbers were pale in comparison to his use as chain-mover between the 20s. Kincaid entered his rookie season already polished and diverse as a route runner, but the team appeared reluctant to feature him outside of his down-and-distance prowess.
Look for Kincaid’s red zone involvement to increase in 2024. On a team void of a bona fide WR1 thanks to Stefon Diggs being traded to Houston, some believe Kincaid will take on the role as featured receiver in Buffalo’s offense. Despite the handcuffs on him too often last season, Kincaid can operate from most receiving positions and should serve as a downfield mismatch threat more often in year two. Though he plays tight end, consider Kincaid a receiver who’s not easily defined by traditional roles in the Bills’ system.
Let’s look at a few more nuggets as it relates to these rankings, shall we? An unproven rookie in Brock Bowers is two spots ahead of Kincaid. Bowers could absolutely go off, but he hasn’t proven capable yet... and his quarterbacks are Aiden O’Connell and Gardner Minshew II.
Whoever set these rankings seems uninterested in the fact that quarterback Sam Darnold (not Kirk Cousins) will now be throwing passes to T.J. Hockenson. Cousins gets to toss footballs to Kyle Pitts — at least for a little bit.
Even considering Trey McBride, one would imagine that rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will eat into his production. As for Cole Kmet, he’s going to have a brand-new quarterback looking his way. Will it work out? Many believe that’s the case, but we have nary a fact to base things on. Should we even take the time to discuss Hunter Henry’s situation, yet he lands at 11?
If this list is to be taken seriously, then one would have to believe quarterback considerations and offensive systems were part of the decision-making process. Unfortunately, there’s no specific reasoning behind it all, nor a named writer. All we’re able to do is shake our fists at the screen in defiance of such oversight, and consider where Kincaid should be ranked.
Perhaps this serves to fuel Dalton Kincaid in 2024. It’s fair to say that many would put money on Kincaid already being prepared to serve notice league-wide, regardless of ranking.