Dalton Kincaid’s 1st season highlights

[Chandler#81]

Now for the discussion part. It’s not an overly optimistic highlight reel. He was clearly great in college and Beane wanted this dimension for the team. However, for a pass catching TE, he had numerous drops and very rarely broke tackles. His TD production was -in a word, disappointing. But the pure talent was on display for most of the season. With Knox taking a pay cut recently, Dalton is now clearly TE1. But he can and needs to improve. He is a willing blocker though his relatively slight frame doesn’t scare anyone and is more of a ‘get in the way’ type blocker than physical blocker. While he made numerous eye-popping catches, he underwhelmed in contested catches where his size should have been a benefit. He displays deft footing but he doesn’t use this to break tackles when defenders dive at his lower legs. It was obvious by seasons’ end that if a defender was closing in on him, he was going to be tackled -even though there were opportunities to challenge the tackler with changing speed or direction, stiff arming or lowering his shoulder -something Knox is proficient at.

I’m hoping these were discussed with him in his end of season meeting with coaches as aspects he needs to improve on. Bulking up a bit is essential, but also hand fighting, better body control to fend off would-be tacklers near him and more gumption/desire to finish the play in the Endzone. 
Yes, he set team records for catches by a TE and quickly became a starter. But to know the full history of the team, is to know TE has always been an afterthought. I can count on 1 hand our very best TE’s, from Warlick to -well, Knox..

 

The potential is certainly there, but the necessary upgrades to his skills are on him to develop. To me, he’s kinda like a ‘golly gee! This is great playing in the NFL!’ kid. I’d like to see more of a determined approach to his craft to realize his capabilities at this level. He isn’t there yet.

 

What say you?

[K D]

Now do Sam Laporta. His team didn't need to use a 1st round pick on a TE. Bills could have waited until round 2 and still had the best TE in the draft because TE isn't an important position

 

Oh sorry, he's a "slot receiver like a big Cole Beasley." I forgot.

[SoonerBillsFan]

Please God let Beane hit on a WR like he did with Kincaid. 

[billsfanmiamioh]

Simply being reliable catching the ball is a welcome addition to the current receiving corps. I think he had a very good rookie year and will continue to get better. 

[Mat68]

As rookies go Kincaid had a very productive year.   He is going have close to 100 catches and 1,000 yards every year.  

[Irv]

Kincaid makes Knox unneeded.  

[DJB]

6 minutes ago, Irv said:

Kincaid makes Knox unneeded.  

Knox was terribly overpaid the moment he signed that contract .

 

[ddaryl]

About an 80% catch target ratio

Not shabby for a rookie 

Shakir also was about 80% 

Gabe never hit 60% in his career

[Wizard]

Yes...areas to improve, but Dalton Kincaid is not on my offseason worry list.

 

 

 

[billsfan_34]

24 minutes ago, Irv said:

Kincaid makes Knox unneeded.  

Not when you want to pound the ball like we did in many games last season.

[NewEra]

15 minutes ago, Wizard said:

Yes...areas to improve, but Dalton Kincaid is not on my offseason worry list.

 

 

 

Agreed….but he must add some mass.  
 

 @Chandler#81 discusses Kincaid not breaking tackles and I think strength is the main culprit behind his lack of BTK.  He looked to take pounding when he did lower his shoulder in the regular season.  I was worried about injuring and was actively rooting for him to avoid hard contact.  Hopefully an offseason in the weight room will give the kid the strength he needs to break more tackles.  

[Kaenon]

If we asked you to sign up to have his 2023 stat line that he finished the year with at the time he drafted...I think most everyone would've.

[The Firebaugh Kid]

I’m honestly baffled that somebody has a negative take on Dalton Kincaid. This kid looks fantastic. I think he’s going to explode in year two.

38 minutes ago, DJB said:

Knox was terribly overpaid the moment he signed that contract .

 

I love Knox but he always appears slightly uncoordinated to me. 

[Dunkirk Donski]

11 minutes ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

I’m honestly baffled that somebody has a negative take on Dalton Kincaid. This kid looks fantastic. I think he’s going to explode in year two.

I love Knox but he always appears slightly uncoordinated to me. 

Didnt we draft him for his "athleticism"

[Blackbeard]

1 hour ago, KDIGGZ said:

Now do Sam Laporta. His team didn't need to use a 1st round pick on a TE. Bills could have waited until round 2 and still had the best TE in the draft because TE isn't an important position

 

Oh sorry, he's a "slot receiver like a big Cole Beasley." I forgot.

 

Great take Mr. Hindsight.

[Bangarang]

53 minutes ago, ddaryl said:

About an 80% catch target ratio

Not shabby for a rookie 

Shakir also was about 80% 

Gabe never hit 60% in his career

 

Gabe's ADOT was 15 yards. Shakir's was 8.9 and Kincaid's was 6. Gabe's role was much different than both of those guys so I would expect his catch percentage to be lower but admittedly it probably shouldn't have been as low as it was.

[Coldfronts]

He needs to muscle up a bit and he will get a lot more YAC. This guy would have been a monster back in the steroid days of football

Edited March 21 by Coldfronts

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said:

Now for the discussion part. It’s not an overly optimistic highlight reel. He was clearly great in college and Beane wanted this dimension for the team. However, for a pass catching TE, he had numerous drops and very rarely broke tackles. His TD production was -in a word, disappointing. But the pure talent was on display for most of the season. With Knox taking a pay cut recently, Dalton is now clearly TE1. But he can and needs to improve. He is a willing blocker though his relatively slight frame doesn’t scare anyone and is more of a ‘get in the way’ type blocker than physical blocker. While he made numerous eye-popping catches, he underwhelmed in contested catches where his size should have been a benefit. He displays deft footing but he doesn’t use this to break tackles when defenders dive at his lower legs. It was obvious by seasons’ end that if a defender was closing in on him, he was going to be tackled -even though there were opportunities to challenge the tackler with changing speed or direction, stiff arming or lowering his shoulder -something Knox is proficient at.

I’m hoping these were discussed with him in his end of season meeting with coaches as aspects he needs to improve on. Bulking up a bit is essential, but also hand fighting, better body control to fend off would-be tacklers near him and more gumption/desire to finish the play in the Endzone. 
Yes, he set team records for catches by a TE and quickly became a starter. But to know the full history of the team, is to know TE has always been an afterthought. I can count on 1 hand our very best TE’s, from Warlick to -well, Knox..

 

The potential is certainly there, but the necessary upgrades to his skills are on him to develop. To me, he’s kinda like a ‘golly gee! This is great playing in the NFL!’ kid. I’d like to see more of a determined approach to his craft to realize his capabilities at this level. He isn’t there yet.

 

What say you?

I say you've taken an overly pessimistic view, in several respects.  

 

He had 670 yards in receptions, which was right around where I expected him to be.  That's a nice total for a rookie, especially for a tight end.  A rookie wideout who starts has an opportunity for some chunk plays that a tight end doesn't get.  So, I'd say his production was pretty good, and I expect it will improve.  

 

Next, I'd say that "he rarely broke tackles" is unfair.   A large number of his catches were essentially dumpoffs over the middle where he was surrounded by defenders.   He's not a big guy who's going to drag those tacklers.   Still, he always goes down going forward, and he gets just about all the yards he can.  He had several plays where he made a move to avoid a tackler and get extra yards, and in particularly he made several to get the first down.    He's not a great open field runner, but he gets ahead in space before he goes down.  

 

Drops.  I agree about that.  He's excellent when he's open, but he isn't so good on contested catches.  In a crowd, he doesn't seem to come down with it as often as he should. 

 

One thing that was apparent was how often Allen's throws were off target.  Some of his drops really were throws where Allen missed the market, and some of his best catches also were on inaccurate throws.  

 

I agree about bulking up.  He looks like he could carry another ten pounds, and then would make him tougher to bring down. 

 

I wouldn't call him a disappointment at all.  However, if he's never better than he was as a rookie, I will be disappointed.  My hope for 2024 is that Brady will have a creative passing attack with Diggs, Samuel, and Shakir attacking all over the field, short and long, and with Kincaid finding plenty of holes as the defenders chase the speed guys.  

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, Irv said:

Kincaid makes Knox unneeded.  

 

I disagree some with some of what Chandler posted, but he's right that Kincaid is not an impressive blocker.

[julian]

I totally forget Kincaid at times when thinking about the offense next year, that’s how good the rookie was, I just assume 1K yards 6-10 TDs  next year as he gets comfortable with what defenses around the league are trying to do to him.