Bills TE Dalton Kincaid: Buffalo's 'Perfect Fit?'

SI Editorial

May 9, 2023

Partner

101Members·2,196Posts

SI Editorial

May 9, 2023

Partner

Dalton Kincaid's can't-miss offensive ability made him someone that the Buffalo Bills not only couldn't pass on, but had to trade up for ahead of the Dallas Cowboys.

Regardless of the sport, very rarely is there ever a "perfect fit" for an imperfect game, unless you're Tom Brady on the New England Patriots or Michael Jordan on the Chicago Bulls.

But ESPN decided to try and give this label a shot in regards to the 2023 NFL Draft class, a potentially bold move for rookies that are yet to take a snap in the league. The site chose 16 teams and listed why certain rookies are set to be "perfect fits" for their new squads.

For the Buffalo Bills, first-round tight end Dalton Kincaid made the cut. Here's what ESPN had to say about why he's a "perfect fit" for Buffalo.

"The Bills ran just 32 snaps of 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TE) last season, the lowest total in the league," ESPN writes. "But with Kincaid now in the mix, we should expect a shift in offensive philosophy from coordinator Ken Dorsey. I think Buffalo can create great pass-game matchups with two tight ends in the game. Paired with Dawson Knox, Kincaid can be the move/flex target at the position, with seam-stretching ability and catch-and-run skills."

Kincaid's can't-miss offensive ability made him someone that the Bills not only couldn't pass on, but had to trade up for to jump the Dallas Cowboys at No. 26 just to assure they could get him.

This should speak volumes to how highly general manager Brandon Beane, coach Sean McDermott and the rest of the organization view Kincaid.

"I've historically traded up for guys that I really like and we had a strong feeling that Dallas was gonna take him ahead of us," Beane said on The Pat McAfee Show after Day 1 of the draft.

However, labeling him as a "perfect fit" in an offense that will have other talented mouths to feed could be a bit premature. But it's Kincaid's versatility that makes ESPN stand with its assessment.

"Kincaid will be an inside, vertical stretch target for quarterback Josh Allen against split-safety coverages, but he can also be deployed as a boundary X receiver to create man-coverage mismatches. Think of him as a versatile pass-catcher who gives the Bills matchup looks against base and sub-personnel packages. He's coming off a productive year with 70 catches, 890 yards and 8 touchdowns."

At 6-4, 240 pounds, Kincaid brings nice size to the tight end position, but seperates himself from the rest of most guys that play the position due to his receiving skills. In four of his five collegiate seasons, he caught at least eight touchdown passes. During his freshman season as San Diego, 11 of his 24 catches for the season were touchdowns.

From San Diego, to Utah, to joining one of the most popular teams in the NFL, Kincaid now has some "perfect" expectations to live up to.

Thanks for reading our SI-powered coverage of your Buffalo Bills ... Bills Mafia!

You're a member of Bills Mafia hungry for more Buffalo coverage? Read here.