TE Position

[Buffalo Junction]

1 minute ago, Boatdrinks said:

Well, Knox is a pretty good run blocker not a suspect one. He was also the 96th player selected in 2019 and didn’t catch many passes in college as he wasn’t featured that way. Zay Jones caught a ton of passes in college and was the 44th player selected in the 2017 draft. 52 slots lower of draft position will buy you a little bit of “ rope” with the fans. 

Plus we generally have lower expectations for TEs catching the ball... 3rd round TE vs 2nd round WR... ?‍♂️  Knox needs to improve though. He’s getting some slack, but that’ll disappear quickly if he drops some critical passes next year or in the playoffs. 

[JoPoy88]

12 minutes ago, Boatdrinks said:

Well, Knox is a pretty good run blocker not a suspect one. He was also the 96th player selected in 2019 and didn’t catch many passes in college as he wasn’t featured that way. Zay Jones caught a ton of passes in college and was the 44th player selected in the 2017 draft. 52 slots lower of draft position will buy you a little bit of “ rope” with the fans. Essentially , Jones had already proven he had good hands in college but forgot how to catch when he got to Buffalo. He was pretty much a head case. 

true on the run blocking. I was mostly thinking of the Allen fumble where Knox got turnstiled and got his QB crushed.

[Boatdrinks]

1 minute ago, JoPoy88 said:

true on the run blocking. I was mostly thinking of the Allen fumble where Knox got turnstiled and got his QB crushed.

I’m not sure I’d want many TEs blocking a DE one on one, but I see it around the league. Usually doesn’t end well , but it continues. That was Knox’s guy, but he didn’t have much chance. 

[LABILLBACKER]

4 hours ago, Nester said:

i like our current young TE's and i think we should let them develop.

 

Knox will be a beast, but its only his first year.

Sorry but I've watched Dawson Creek drop balls all year. Yesterday was just amplified. He also cost us a td on that lame block attempt.  A couple of highlight angry stiffarms hardly makes a long term TE. We'll see if he improves year 2?

[JoPoy88]

1 minute ago, Boatdrinks said:

I’m not sure I’d want many TEs blocking a DE one on one, but I see it around the league. Usually doesn’t end well , but it continues. That was Knox’s guy, but he didn’t have much chance. 

True. We’ll see. Knox is already credited with 5 drops this season and i don’t think that they’ve counted Sunday yet. I am willing to give him time he’s a rookie after all. Just want to sit back and see the comments around here though if he continues to stone hand easy balls. Hey maybe he should just continue to try to catch with one hand? Seems to work for him.

[Boatdrinks]

Just now, JoPoy88 said:

True. We’ll see. Knox is already credited with 5 drops this season and i don’t think that they’ve counted Sunday yet. I am willing to give him time he’s a rookie after all. Just want to sit back and see the comments around here though if he continues to stone hand easy balls. Hey maybe he should just continue to try to catch with one hand? Seems to work for him.

If it continues the heat will get turned up by fans for sure. Hopefully he spends extra time with the Juggs machine. 

[billsbackto81]

I'd keep Knox around just to watch his powerful stiff arm face plants on opposing tacklers. 

 

Good stuff right there.

[Chandler#81]

7 hours ago, Nester said:

i like our current young TE's and i think we should let them develop.

 

Knox will be a beast, but its only his first year.

I hope so. Brings much more to position than we’ve had -maybe ever!

7 hours ago, Process said:

Kroft is useless and should be cut this off-season. That signing was a head scratcher from the beginning. 

 

Knoxs drops are a huge concern. Even if he ends up getting over it and becoming a good player for us, plenty of teams use two TEs.

 

Bills should go all out for Hooper this off-season.

 

Sign Hooper, sign a young RB, draft a WR in the first round. Offense set.

 

It seems to get lost around here with the now legendary FA haul from this past Spring, but we had just cut Clay, the Draft was nearly 2 months out & all we had was Croom. TE was a Glaring Need then and Beane got on the horn. The knock on him from Cincy was he couldn’t stay healthy (availability). That remains the case.

7 hours ago, Bob in STL said:

The drops have reached a point of concern but if you look at how little he saw the ball in college it should not surprise.  

 

Work, work, and more work is what Knox needs.  He has size and he had some speed too.  He blocks well and he gets open.  Yesterday he dropped a ball and then he made a brilliant one handed catch.  He can be a beast running in the open field and he has blown up a few DBs this year.  

 

I like him and I say keep on developing him.  

 

I’m not impressed with Kroft or Smith.  Sweeney has done ok in his limited reps.  

 

I would not hesitate to take a TE if the right one is there.  

McD has a throwback affinity for rah-rah Special Teamers, but Smith & DiMarco are dead anchors on the gameday 47. To date, our team health borders Incredible (KNOCKING ON WOOD!) but a rethinking must take place soon on which talent levels sit, even if roster size grows next year. Senoris Perry? The days of having ‘Mark Pike’s’ on a team are over.

6 hours ago, Dkollidas said:

Knox needs time to develop. He was barely thrown to in college because they were loaded at receiver and used him mostly as a blocker. He was a QB in high school and had never played the position until he got to a school that doesn’t utilize the position.

 

I think he’ll be better next year, hopefully significantly. He’s probably going to get 400yds receiving as a rookie. Not too terrible.

 

Sweeney has the upside of a solid #2 tight end. Good fundamentals, solid blocker.

 

I feel bad for Kroft but I think he’ll end up getting cut next season. Too much money for too little production. 
 

Lee Smith is hot garbage. Croom May come back and try to do something but I have little faith in that.

 

i could see them bringing in another veteran to compete with Smith and Sweeney. 

Good post. Kroft seems solid in all aspects -WHEN he’s available, but certainly no upside. I’ve already forgotten about Croom -his personal relationship notwithstanding..

[OZBILLS]

We don't even target TE's. What's the point?

 

Every other team gives them lots of looks and ours get a few targets a game

[HOUSE]

I am all in on T J Hockenson, oh wait, that was last year

[The Jokeman]

10 hours ago, Rc2catch said:

Why is Kroft so hated? How many balls did he drop? How many were thrown to him? 
Are we saying the one year he actually played and was involved  in Cincinnati Dalton could find him open but in buffalo he’s covered every route? Could it not be Allen doesn’t look to throw his way? Like ever? Or that Daboll doesn’t want him open so it frees someone else up one on one? Can’t be any form of a weapon in the receiving game if there’s no targets.

 

Is his blocking bad? The blocking part is serious on my end cause I honestly don’t pay attention to tight end blocks ever in a game. 

 

Just don’t get why there’s such a need to upgrade a position we’re not heavily using in the pass game. Knox will progress, we haven’t seen Sweeney in real games, how many balls are we throwing to tight ends next year we ain’t Baltimore here. 

Kroft is hated because we haven't seen him because of injuries and he hasn't seen many passes his way since returning. Therefore most think he's a waste of money in some eyes. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt but still think we need to look to improve the position in the offseason with another veteran in the mix. 

[stuvian]

sorry but I'm ready to call Knox a bust. Bad hands are bad hands

[The Frankish Reich]

9 minutes ago, stuvian said:

sorry but I'm ready to call Knox a bust. Bad hands are bad hands

He's a rookie! And one who didn't get used much in the passing game in college.

There's a reason he's playing. He has talent. He gets open. You gotta be open to drop passes. He makes plays when he holds onto the ball. And he kind of looks like the guys who are the new prototype TEs. I think they've got a keeper. The drop rate will go down, the big plays will go up, the missed blocks will be fewer and farther between. Kroft is irrelevant BECAUSE Knox is better than the Bills thought he'd be.

[Mrbojanglezs]

Don't forget Croom, he's not going anywhere next year because he's banging the owners daughter. 

[The Jokeman]

Just now, Mrbojanglezs said:

Don't forget Croom, he's not going anywhere next year because he's banging the owners daughter. 

Meh. He might be in the mix but can't see him making the squad as we have better options than him now, if we keep improving the position this offseason it makes his chances smaller and smaller. In terms of him dating Pegula's daughter, I don't see Beane or McDermott caring about this and only care about team chemistry/play on the field. 

[r00tabaga]

I think Allen needs a top TE more than a top tier WR. He seems to like the middle of the field and a big body with speed and hands would be ideal.

Knox is soooooo close. Now that he's out of college, this is his career......his job..... he'll get better at catching. Next year will be his time. We will only get Rambo "moments" these last few gms.

[ILBillsfan]

Kroft needs to go...lazy route running and not showing anything that deems his salary.

 

Smith gets penalties or blown up too much to justify this veteran presence type player, send him packing please

 

Knox good young player needs to still work on concentration.  The drops he has had is because he is trying to run prior to caching the ball head turns a bit to early.  Catch the ball then let your beast mode hit.

 

Sweeney not much to go with

 

Groom meh move on

 

Will definitely need to bring in somebody or draft.  I'm going to figure the Bills keep Kroft an somehow spin it as the injury really hampered his progress this year and maybe it's the right move  not sure I would want to draft too high of a pick in the position considering other spots I want hit in the draft besides TE.

Edited December 10, 2019 by ILBillsfan

[hemma]

Knox has been targeted 45 times, caught 26, dropped 9.

 

20% drop rate is absurd and his catching ability does not seem to be improving.

I'd move Sweeney up. 

Catching the ball is a fundamental part of the position, otherwise, Knox is a 2nd Lee Smith.  A blocker.

 

IMO.

[Kelly the Dog]

13 hours ago, Rob's House said:

Is catching ability something that typically improves significantly with time? 

 

It seems like it could, but I'm struggling to think of an example of someone with consistently bad hands who turned it around.

Knox doesn't appear to have bad hands at all, he has great hands. In two of the last three drops (and I didn't see the third) he clearly just looked downfield before he caught the ball looking to make a play. That is a concentration issue. That can be taught for sure. His one handed catch, and several other leaping catches show excellent hands. The drops made me furious and I was screaming as loud as anyone and badmouthing him. But it is not a hands things. He just needs to make sure he catches it before he turns upfield.

[jrober38]

Rookie tight ends rarely produce anything.

 

Knox is right behind TJ Hockenson statistically, and he was the 8th overall pick.

 

Knox is going to be amazing in a year or two.