Getty Ken Dorsey of the Buffalo Bills watches practice on August 05, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York.
Before the Buffalo Bills kicked off their second week of organized team activities (OTAs) on Tuesday, May 30, offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey discussed his plan to implement the team’s newest offensive weapon, tight end Dalton Kincaid.
The Bills earned high praise for trading up two spots to land Kincaid in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, as the team desperately needs a solid offensive weapon to backup Stefon Digg, and snagging the 6-foot-4, 234-pound pass-catching tight end instead of a wide receiver was a creative move.
However, when Dorsey was asked how he’ll deploy Kincaid on offense, his non-answer worried much of Bills Mafia.
“We’re nowhere close to knowing exactly ‘Hey, this is what the big picture is going to be’ because we have to learn him and he is going to learn us in a lot of ways,” Dorsey said, per New York Upstate.
While Bills general manager Brandon Beane mentioned the possibility of using a 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) after drafting Kincaid, he also gushed over the rookie’s talent in the slot, so fans were expecting a bit more of a concrete answer from Dorsey.
One man tweeted, “That presser was abysmal. It did not inspire much confidence in the main concern most had with the pick, usage. You’re telling me you drafted him a month ago & spent a RD1 pick, but haven’t figured out what role he’ll play?”
Another person tweeted, “This is a terrible answer. YIKES!” while one fan commented, “Such a encouraging sign to hear that our OC ‘doesn’t know yet’ how to run 2 TE-sets… This is most definitely going to be another year of this team and Allen’s prime wasted. Can we get a adult in the room who knows how to operate and coordinate a offense??? Please??”
Dorsey told reporters there’s no rush. “I think the critical thing is not rushing to make a decision right now on this is what it’s going to be. I think we have to grow and we have to learn those pieces and they have to learn our system because we want them to learn the foundation first. ”
Ken Dorsey Is on the Hot Seat to Make Bills’ Offense Work
Who says TE Dalton Kincaid will only practice catching passes? Here he is blocking under the watch of TEs coach Rob Boras:
While history has shown that it usually takes time for a rookie tight end to find his stride in the NFL, the Bills need Kincaid, who led the Utes with 70 receptions, 890 yards, and eight touchdowns last season, to start contributing right away.
An executive told The Athletic‘s Mike Sando that it’s on Dorsey’s shoulders to find a way to work Kincaid into their scheme, which may be difficult to maneuver with Dawson Knox as TE1.
“Getting the player is one thing, deploying him is another,” the exec said. “When you start talking about the contenders, Buffalo is not necessarily going the other way, but they do rely too much on their quarterback. The key is going to be how well their coordinator is able to use two tight ends. You don’t see every coordinator do that well.”
The #Bills told Dawson Knox before the draft that they had serious interest in selecting Dalton Kincaid.
He’s not looking at it as competition, but rather a way to make everyone on offense better.
But OC Ken Dorsey doesn’t know yet exactly how a Knox-Kincaid duo will look.
While Kincaid may not have a 1,000-yard season, the versatile offensive weapon with 10 1/4-inch hands can still have a meaningful impact on offense. Sando wrote, “If the Bills plateaued last season, can Kincaid help them get over the top in the AFC? Such a scenario has played out before. In 2005, Heath Miller caught 39 passes for 459 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie first-round tight end (30th overall choice), helping the Steelers to their first Super Bowl victory since the 1970s.”
The Buffalo News’ Mark Gaughan tweeted on Monday, “Dorsey says it’s going to take time to see just how Dalton Kincaid fits into offense. ‘We’ll learn as we go in training camp and in season.’ I think it’s not just coach-speak. Thinking he’s going to play at a ’60-catch level’ the first month is probably a stretch.”
Josh Allen Is Confident That Ken Dorsey Will Figure It Out
GettyBills quarterback Josh Allen waves to fans after defeating the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 24, 2022.
Beane chalked up much of the criticism against Dorsey last season to it being his first year as offensive coordinator, while Bills quarterback Josh Allen also remains confident in the play-caller
While visiting the Oak Hill County Club ahead of the start of the 105th PGA Championship Tour, Allen told The Buffalo News that he was “very, very happy” the Bills drafted Kincaid and that Dorsey would figure out a way to make it work, whether it’s a 12 personnel or not.
“Not sure how we’re going to do it, but Dorsey has got a plan to do it,” Allen said. “You’ve just got to trust what’s being called and try to go out there and execute it.”