Will an increase in “12” personnel happen this year — and, if so, will it lead to bigger numbers for Knox?
The Buffalo Bills have two very strong tight ends. This is something that hasn’t really happened for the team in a long while, and perhaps the current duo may remind some long-time fans of a former tight end duo from the early 1990s. The last time Buffalo had two tight ends this talented was arguably when Keith McKeller and Pete Metzelaars both suited up for the Bills.
Whether you think it’s due to the changes in the game, the function of the Bills’ offense, or the overall talent of the two players, it’s hard to argue that the current tight end duo doesn’t exceed that classic pairing. From a statistical standpoint, anyway, last year’s tight end pair exceeded anything that the Bills had produced in franchise history. While most of that production came from one of the two players, it doesn’t mean that the “second fiddle” can’t slide into the first chair in a pinch.
In today’s edition of “91 players in 91 days,” we discuss one of the longest-tenured members of Buffalo’s offense.
Dawson Knox
- Number: 88
- Position: TE
- Height/Weight: 6’4”, 254 pounds
- Age: 27 (28 on 11/14/2024)
- Experience/Draft: 6; selected in the third round (No. 96 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft by Buffalo
- College: Mississippi
- Acquired: Third-round draft choice
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Knox signed a reworked contract this offseason, taking some 2024 cash and turning it into 2025 guarantees. For the 2024 season, he carries a cap hit of $7.728 million. Buffalo would be on the hook for a dead-cap charge of $24.45 million if he were traded or released. Knox’s cap hit is the seventh-highest total on the team this season.
2023 Recap: Knox started 11 games last season, retaining his role as the starting tight end for a majority of the team’s games. However, Knox saw fewer snaps than he ever has in a Bills uniform, appearing on just 41.8% of the team’s offensive snaps. Exacerbating that lack of snaps was a wrist injury that caused him to miss five games.
In all, Knox caught 22 passes for 186 yards and two scores on 36 targets. Knox caught what ended up the game-winning touchdown pass in the regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins to clinch Buffalo’s fourth-straight AFC East Division title.
In the playoffs, Knox appeared in both games, appearing on 41% of the team’s snaps overall. He saw three targets and caught two of them: one was a nine-yard touchdown grab against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the other was a four-yard grab against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Positional outlook: Knox joins Dalton Kincaid, Quintin Morris, Zach Davidson, and Tre’ McKitty at tight end. Reggie Gilliam is a fullback who has prior experience at tight end, and he can be used there in a pinch.
2024 Offseason: Knox has had a busy offseason. His wedding was this summer, as he and fiancee Alex were wed on June 30. Josh Allen, Dion Dawkins, Connor McGovern, and former Bills center Mitch Morse were among the invitees. Knox has been healthy and participating in all offseason work, as well.
2024 Season outlook: You can’t tell me that Buffalo would have signed Knox to a massive extension had they known they were going to draft Kincaid. There’s the elephant in the room, as allocating this much money to a second tight end just isn’t great asset management.
You also can’t tell me that Knox wasn’t deserving of the contract extension he signed following the 2022 season, as he caught 97 passes for 1,004 yards and 15 scores across 30 games in 2021 and 2022. Knox has also been a consistent performer in the playoffs, catching 28 passes for 275 yards and six scores over the course of his career in the postseason.
However, none of the “what-ifs” matter, and the fact is that Knox figures to be a big part of the offense this season. He’s improved immensely as a blocker since entering the NFL, and he’s become a much more consistent hands-catcher over that time, as well.
One area where he hasn’t been able to improve, though, is in terms of his availability. Knox has yet to complete a full season in his career, and while injuries are part of the game, there is something to be said about a player who is always available.
Knox is guaranteed to be on the roster in 2024 and in 2025 thanks both to his function in the offense and his contract. Beyond that, though, it’s likely that the team will need to invest heavily in one tight end overall. For now, expecting Knox to play in 15 games to catch around 35 passes for 400 yards and a handful of scores seems pretty reasonable.