The Buffalo Bills generated more cap space by reworking the contract of Dawson Knox, a move that one insider believes could put the veteran tight end’s future in question.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on March 11 that the Bills made a move to lower Knox’s cap hit for the coming season.
“The #Bills and tight end Dawson Knox have agreed to a reworked contract that lessens his $14.4M cap hit this year, per source. More needed space for Buffalo,” Fowler wrote on X.
The move comes after a down year for Knox, who struggled with injuries and had the lowest output of his five-year career in 2023. After the rapid rise of rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid as a top target in the passing game, Knox could now face an uncertain future in Buffalo.
Bills Could Move on From Dawson Knox
As CBS Sports noted, the reworked contract could signal that Knox is on the way out in Buffalo following the coming season. The team had given him a four-year extension in September 2022, but there is a chance for the team to move on after 2024.
“The tight end is entering the second season of a four-year, $52 million extension that guarantees most of his money through 2024 but none thereafter,” the report noted. “It’s possible this agreement changes that, but if not, Knox’s future with the team could come into question next offseason.”
Knox appeared in 12 games last season, missing a long stretch in the middle of the season after undergoing wrist surgery. He ended the season with 22 receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns — all career lows for the former Pro Bowler.
Knox had been a favorite target for quarterback Josh Allen, especially in the red zone, but saw Kincaid take over the role of No. 1 tight end this season. The rookie Kincaid finished the season with 73 receptions for 673 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bills have already parted ways with a series of veteran players, releasing cornerback Tre’Davious White, center Mitch Morse and safety Jordan Poyer in a flurry of moves on March 6. The Bills also reworked the contract of edge rusher Von Miller, lowering his base salary and loading his contract with incentives. In total, last week’s moves created more than $30 million in cap space.
Bills Advised to Trade Tight End
Some insiders believed the Bills were ready to part ways with Knox this offseason. Bleacher Report’s Joe Tansey suggested that the team could trade the tight end to the Miami Dolphins.
“Knox still had value in the postseason alongside Kincaid, but it is clear that he is no longer the No. 1 tight end in Buffalo,” Tansey wrote. “Miami’s offense lacked an impact from the tight end position under [head coach Mike] McDaniel. Knox does not have to be a high-volume pass-catcher, but if he is effective in the red zone, he would be a worthwhile acquisition.”
But the Bills appear to place a high value on Knox, and Allen still found him a reliable red-zone target in the playoffs. Knox only caught two passes through two postseason games this year, but the first was a 9-yard touchdown to open the scoring in a wild-card round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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