The Buffalo Bills found a spot on the roster for a breakout pass-catcher at final cuts on Sunday, expanding their depth chart at a key position.
The team announced that second-year tight end Keleki Latu earned a spot on the final 53-man roster, the fourth tight end for a position group where they have kept no more than three in recent years.
Latu had a strong training camp and preseason, which could have made it difficult for the Bills to sneak him back through to the practice squad. The expansion of the tight end group may have also come at the expense of another archaic position that the Bills maintained under head coach Sean McDermott.
Keleki Latu Earned Spot on Final Roster
Latu established himself as a strong two-way tight end this offseason, showing off his strong blocking and pass-catching. SI.com writer Randy Gurzi suggested that Latu was started to catch the attention of other teams, which would have made it unlikely that he cleared waivers to return to the practice squad.
“Waiving him and bringing him back to the practice squad might not be an option this season, which could force the Bills to make a tough decision,” Gurzi wrote. “Going four deep at tight end might not be in the plans, but knowing that Kincaid has dealt with injuries throughout his career makes a player like Latu even more valuable.”
The Bills have a deep tight end group, with Kincaid at the top and trusted veteran Dawson Knox behind him. Jackson Hawes, a 2025 draft pick, also returned to the active roster and was seen as the team’s best blocking tight end.
Latu made six receptions for 53 yards across the team’s three preseason games.
Bills Eliminate Other Position
Gurzi suggested that the Bills would need to pick another position group to shrink if they intended to keep Latu.
“Buffalo would need to go thinner at a position where they have more confidence they can retain players via the practice squad to make it work, but it could be worth it to avoid losing a promising player they have been developing the past two offseasons,” Gurzi wrote.
The Bills may have instead eliminated an entire position. They brought in a pair of fullbacks this summer to fill the role of Reggie Gilliam, the team’s fullback and special teams regular. But the Bills ended up cutting both of them, which could pave the way for Latu to play an expanded role.
In his first two seasons with the Bills, Gilliam played a more hybrid role as an H-back, lining up both at tight end and in the backfield as a fullback. Latu is also seen as a strong blocker and could play a similar role for the Bills this season.
Bills Keep Breakout Pass-Catcher on Final Roster in Surprise Move