Buffalo Bills: An open competition at the tight end position

An injury early in the offseason means the Buffalo Bills should have a wide open competition to find the best tight ends for the regular season.

The Buffalo Bills signed Tyler Kroft to be the starting tight end this season.

He had his 2018 season cut short with a broken foot and was looking to get off to a great start in his new home.

Then he went and broke the same foot.

Kroft shouldn’t miss significant time during the regular season, but this is a terrible sign for someone who may be dealing with a chronic issue.

It is entirely possible Kroft recovers and has a great season for the Bills. In the meantime, the starting spot is wide open.

Counting Kroft, there are currently seven tight ends on the roster. Four are rookies and Jason Croom is the only one who is returning from the 2018 squad. There is also Lee Smith, who should make the team but won’t be a top target for Josh Allen.

The injury to Kroft seems to set up Dawson Knox to get significant playing time, assuming he lives up to his third-round draft status. There is also Tommy Sweeney, who was taken in the seventh round.

I see this as a wide open competition. Take Smith out and that leaves Knox, Sweeney, Croom, Mik’Quan Dean, and Moral Stephens fighting to take Kroft’s spot.

Dean and Stephens may appear to be longshots, but it is entirely possible they shine in training camp and earn playing time. Knox is probably the only safe one based on his draft slot.

Brandon Beane is doing the right thing in creating competition at different positions groups. It is just unfortunate that the competition came about at tight end due to an injury.