The Buffalo Bills have been closely connected to a veteran tight end for most of the offseason. It is believed that the Bills are going to be the next team that Zach Ertz plays for however with training camp less than a month away, a deal has yet to be worked out.
If the Bills elect to move on from the idea of adding Zach Ertz but want to add a veteran tight end to compete for the starting job with Dawson Knox and Jacob Hollister then Delanie Walker is a potential option for them.
Walker sat out this past season after two injury-filled seasons where he played only eight games between 2018 and 2019. However, before that was one of the better pass-catching tight ends in the NFL. He appeared in three straight Pro Bowls from 2015 to 2017 and had over 65 receptions and 800 receiving yards each of those seasons with 16 receiving touchdowns.
The veteran tight end is trying to make a comeback and recently described the ideal situation he is looking for in an interview on SiriusXM.
"“I feel like it’s got to be a team that’s a contender. A team that has a quarterback that’s going to throw the ball, that’s got a compliment with a running back, and some receivers that are going to help.”"
https://twitter.com/SiriusXMNFL/status/1414678893047566338?s=20
The Buffalo Bills seemingly fit exactly what Delanie Walker described. They have Josh Allen, who is coming a career year and emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. They also have a deep wide receiver group with Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, Emmanuel Sanders, and Gabriel Davis.
The biggest question is at tight end and Delanie Walker could find himself in a starting role if he is fully healthy. There is certainly still some hope that Dawson Knox can develop into a starting tight end but he is far from a lock. They also signed Jacob Hollister in the offseason, who has shown to have good hands but has never been a full-time starter during his career.
In the end, if the Buffalo Bills want another veteran tight end and decide that Zach Ertz isn’t that answer, a player like Delanie Walker could be a good fit.