As free agency nears there are a lot of roster construction decisions yet to be made by the Buffalo Bills. According to Bills fans, the tight end position needs to be addressed this offseason.
However, I would urge Bills Mafia to pump the breaks a little bit on the idea to completely move on from Dawson Knox. In his first two seasons with the Bills, Knox has been extremely inconsistent. Although he has shown clear improvement, he also gives fans plenty of reasons to be frustrated. Knox has yet to earn more than 400 receiving yards or post a catch rate over 60%.
Rather than moving on from Knox and spending draft capital on a new rookie tight end, perhaps the best way forward is to pair Knox with a veteran tight end to help him in his development process. With the recent release of Kyle Rudolph from the Vikings and plenty of rumors about Jared Cook joining the Bills, there is a third veteran tight end that should be a part of this discussion.
This forgotten veteran is Delanie Walker who most people forgot about because he decided to opt out of last season to focus getting healthy.
Career
At 36 years old, Delanie Walker may not have a lot left in the tank but his career is something to marvel at. With his 14 years in the NFL, Walker has accumulated 5,888 receiving yards and 36 touchdowns on 504 career receptions. Early in his career, Walker was a utility fullback that would occasionally line up at the tight end position, but his natural receiving abilities were too good to keep him pigeonholed as a full back. His best season came back in 2015 where he had over 1,000 yards receiving on 94 receptions and a catch rate over 70%. Additionally, in each of the four seasons from 2014 through 2017 Walker had over 800 receiving yards.
Why he would fit the 2021 Buffalo Bills
Walker’s mix of playmaking abilities as a pass-catcher and his blocking acumen make him a valuable addition to the tight end room. Knox could use a veteran presence to help him smooth the edges of his game. Expanding off that point, Walker’s game is very similar to what the Bills are expecting Knox to turn into, so why not pair the two together for a season. Both are athletic playmakers with the ball in their hands, willing blockers, and red zone threats.
Furthermore, in terms of return on investment for the Bills Walker could be the best bang for their buck. His recent injury concerns and him taking a year off could decrease his market value. If the Bills are looking at Jared Cook at about $5m for one year, why not explore the opportunity to bring in Walker at half the price and the same duration.
After all, the Buffalo Bills don’t need to acquire a tight end to take TE1 from Knox, they just need someone that will help Knox become a TE1 in the future . Walker is a great candidate to help Knox’s career development while making solid on-field contributions at the tight end position in 2021.