Getty Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox.
The Buffalo Bills kicked off their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, June 13, with much of the media focusing on wide receiver Stefon Diggs, the one player who wasn’t present.
But the attention shifted when tight end Dawson Knox went down with an injury after a collision involving cornerback Kaiir Elam and newly signed safety Taylor Rapp.
Syracuse.com‘s Matt Parrino tweeted, “Knox injured on a play during 11-on-11 today. Taylor Rapp made a good play to defend a pass from Josh Allen and Kaiir Elam came flying in late and looked to hit Knox’s leg. He was down briefly and then walked off with trainers. They looked at him for a few minutes.”
Batavia Daily News‘ Alex Brasky reported that Knox “limped off” off the field while WROC-TV‘s Thad Brown noted he “seemed to favor his left knee… was a bit ginger, but did not appear serious.”
After the drill ended, ESPN‘s Alaina Getzenberg tweeted that quarterback Josh Allen, among others, came to check on him. “Knox flexed his foot for a bit on the sideline and walked around/stood on the sideline for the rest of practice without athletic trainers.”
Last season, Knox recorded 48 receptions for 517 yards and six touchdowns.
Dawson Knox May Sit Out the Rest of Minicamp, Giving Rookie Dalton Kincaid a Chance for More Snaps
GettyBills starter Dawson Knox (left) tweeted out a strong message after Buffalo moved up to select Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid.
The Bills, who signed Knox to a four-year, $52 million extension in September 2022, are likely in no rush to get the 26-year-old tight end back onto the field. CBS Sports surmised, “With two more minicamp sessions to go this week, it wouldn’t surprise if Buffalo takes a cautious approach with Knox to ensure he’s as healthy as possible for the start of training camp in late July.”
On Wednesday, Knox attended practice but did not participate. He was seen wearing a sleeve on his injured leg.
If Knox continues to sit, that means more reps for the Bills’ first-round pick from the 2023 draft, Dalton Kincaid. Though Knox could’ve felt threatened when Buffalo traded up to land the pass-catching 6-foot-4 tight end, he appeared to be thrilled.
“We’re super-excited for what Dalton can bring to the table,” Knox told The Buffalo News last month. “Obviously, (Kincaid is) super-talented. We’ve already exchanged messages a couple of times, and he seems like an awesome dude.”
The Bills Need to Start Practicing 12 Personnel Once Dawson Knox Is Healthy
During voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) in May, Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was asked how he’ll deploy Kincaid on offense, and 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.
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 more concrete answer from Dorsey.
The Bills used a 12 personnel on just 4% of their pass plays last season, per The Buffalo News, the second lowest in the NFL, and if this is the scheme Buffalo is looking to use, they need Knox as a full participant in practice. While the 12 personnel will possibly lead to Knox having fewer snaps, the veteran believes it will be best for the team.
Per SI, Knox said he was hoping the Bills drafted Kincaid so they could “start doing some of this 12 personal stuff, like that’s gonna be really fun. I think it’s gonna create some mismatches for both of us, something that we might not have had in the past… Anytime you can get a quarterback like Josh more weapons, you should do it.”
