Tight end as a position has been somewhat of an enigma for the Buffalo Bills under GM Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott.
They drafted and developed starter Dawson Knox despite him demonstrating very limited pass-catching ability in college at the University of Mississippi. He developed into a core player for the Bills, someone quarterback Josh Allen relied on heavily as a short-yardage outlet and red zone target. Early in the 2022 season, Knox was awarded with a four-year, $53.6 million extension, keeping him in Buffalo through 2026.
Knox however struggled in 2022, and despite McDermott’s desire to utilize more two tight end sets, the Bills signing of O.J. Howard did not work out either as he was released as the team made their final cuts in late August. As a result, undrafted free agent Quentin Morris saw more playing time than expected last season, and projects to have an even bigger role in 2023.
After Tommy Sweeney left Buffalo and signed a free agent deal with the New York Giants, the Bills are left with just Knox and Morris on their roster, leaving a hole that they will likely fill via the NFL draft.
The Buffalo Bills should consider a late-round tight end in the 2023 NFL Draft
Given the multiple holes the Bills need to fill via the draft, including premium positions such as offensive tackle and wide receiver, it would be risky for them to spend an early round selection on a tight end – a position that is notoriously slow to develop.
While it is tempting to look at players like Darnell Washington, a top-tier blocker and elite athlete who the Bills are hosting for a top-30 visit, it is more likely that they will grab a tight end later in the draft.
Fortunately for the Bills, this is a deep class of tight ends and there are several intriguing mid-late round options that figure to be available late in day two and into day three of the draft.