Buffalo Bills: 5 offseason needs in 2020
By Jordan Foote
3. Help at tight end
A tight end can often serve as a quarterback’s security blanket and best friend. With a young and still-developing field general like Josh Allen under center, it’s important to surround him with some reliable talent at that position.
The Buffalo Bills’ front office staff attempted to do so when it took Dawson Knox with the No. 96 overall pick in this past year’s draft, but the results in year one were mixed. In 15 games (11 starts), Knox hauled in 28 passes on 50 targets, compiled 388 receiving yards and scored a pair of touchdowns. A respectable contribution on a team with a quarterback that barely eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark through the air, but not where Buffalo would like him to be.
It’s certainly too early to write off Knox, who didn’t have an illustrious collegiate career but was still helpful in his rookie year. With that said, Allen may need a more consistent target to throw to this coming season.
Whether it’s a starter or a reserve, the Bills should add another tight end this offseason. Upgrading from Tyler Croft and Lee Smith as backups to someone else would help a ton. Even drafting or signing a starter and putting Knox in a low-pressure situation as the backup could pay dividends. At any rate, that security blanket for 2020 needs to do its job and be… secure.