The Buffalo Bills' tight end room has had a history of powerful performances led by both Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid. Since breaking out in the NFL in 2023 during his rookie season, Kincaid has been working to get stronger in blocking and to stay healthy, which he has struggled with over the past few seasons.
Recently, the Bills picked up the tight end's fifth-year option, which means he's under contract through 2027. After he plays this season, general manager Brandon Beane can decide if he wants to let Kincaid play a second year under the fifth-year option or finally ink him to a long-term contract.
Should Dalton Kincaid earn a long-term extension?
How the tight end performs in the next two seasons
The first major hurdle Kincaid must jump over is whether he can perform better than his career-high rookie season. He totaled a record 73 catches for 673 yards and two touchdowns while playing in 16 of 17 regular-season contests.
Since then, he hasn't come close to having another career year and has yet to record 1,000 yards receiving in a season during his stint with the Bills. This year, however, might be his best chance, as he is on his fifth-year option, which makes him extra motivated to show the team that he is dedicated to improving from last season.
Needs to stay healthy
While Kincaid has continued to work on his production, he has yet to avoid the injury bug that has bitten him and has prevented him from becoming a superstar tight end. He has been dealing with a hamstring injury for the last two seasons, but his continuous workouts to get stronger show his flexibility and commitment to the team.
What might help him going forward is that he will be playing on grass at the new Highmark Stadium, as opposed to the turf at the old Highmark Stadium. Grass has been shown to cause fewer soft-tissue injuries than turf.
If Kincaid can play a full 17 games with minimal injury concerns, then it might make it easier for Beane to decide to give him a long-term contract.
Even if Kincaid breaks out in 2026, should the team still wait to extend him?
The Bills would be open to giving Kincaid a long-term deal if he shows immense improvement in the 2026 season. With his current fifth-year option open until 2027, the team would also want some insurance regarding their young tight end's playing ability before making their decision.
It will be critical to monitor Kincaid's health throughout both seasons, as his progress could affect the Bills' contract plans.
With that in mind, if Kincaid tunes out the outside noise and focuses on increasing his production while improving his self-care, it will be up to Bills' brass to decide on the next steps regarding a possible contract extension.
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