Nowadays, if you’re writing about a Buffalo Bills tight end, it’s probably Dalton Kincaid.
But this piece is dedicated to shedding light on the occasionally overlooked aspect of… blocking at the position. While Kincaid has improved in this area, his fellow tight end mates, Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes, have blocking savants through two contests.
James Cook has seven runs of 10-plus yards through two games. That’s tied for the third-most in football. Knox has been on the field for all of them.
Let’s
dive into the film to highlight the dirty work done exquisitely by both of now veteran blockers.
Here’s the first 10-plus yarder of the season for Cook, a run not possible without two second-level blocks from Knox and Hawes:
That’s a reach block from Hawes on Sheldon Rankins, who’s been one of the more unrated backfield disruptors in football for a while now.
On Cook’s 12-yard scamper that ended with a fumble and an O’Cyrus Torrence recovery against the Texans — yes, that run — Hawes stood up and stayed engaged with Danielle Hunter at the point of attack at the line of scrimmage.
No easy task there. Hunter is one of the most physical imposing edge rushers in the NFL.
Against the Lions, when Cook had five 10-plus yard runs, the tandem was sensational. First, check this reach and hook from Knox on defensive end D.J. Woonum, in space, to clear a clean cutback lane for Cook to accelerate through the second level.
The combination of Hawes and Knox’s blocks were essentially done in perfect rhythm here, just how it’s drawn up, on this long Cook run later in the game.
Hawes washed down linebacker Derrick Barnes while Knox ascended to the second level to get a hat on 2025 All-Pro Jack Campbell, one of the largest off-ball linebackers in the game.
As if the Hunter assignment wasn’t difficult enough, Hawes later took on Aidan Hutchinson crashing inside and handled himself admirably. The subsequent block as Cook started to knife through the line of scrimmage was another Knox stick of Campbell in the whole.
Another sizable gain for Buffalo’s rushing attack. Watch that one again, the cutback lane for Cook was gorgeously paved on that play.
Late against the Lions, watch as Hawes cut off Malcolm Rodriguez as the linebacker over pursued, but I urge you to pay attention the snatch-trap utilized by Knox on Hutchinson at the left side of the screen. It ultimately became precisely where Cook ran with the football. And he nearly scored.
No, that’s not a flag on Knox. Hats off to the refereeing crew for not calling a penalty there.
Hawes has been especially sturdy as a pass protector too. He’s been credited with zero pressures allowed on 10 pass-blocking snaps, reps that many of which have looked like this (watch him on the right side of the screen):
Kincaid has been a receiving wizard through two games… and frankly, since the start of 2025. His yards-per-route-run figure is 4.69 through two games after leading all tight ends in YPRR at 2.70 last season.
Knox has three catches for 12 yards entering Week 3. Hawes is still looking for his first catch of his second professional season.
But we mustn’t forget about the serious value Knox and Hawes are adding to Buffalo’s offense as blockers. Because they’ve been sensational in the trenches, moving defensive lineman, clearing linebackers, and locking down the edges of Josh Allen’s pocket.
No wonder the Bills are second in the NFL in 13 personnel usage right now.
