Buffalo Bills: Dawson Knox has big opportunity after Tyler Kroft injury
Dawson Knox has a big opportunity to make an immediate impact as a rookie for the Buffalo Bills after a foot injury to Tyler Kroft.
Injuries are an inevitable part of football that every team has to accept and, as much as every franchise would like to avoid losing players well before the season, they often provide rookies an early opportunity to make an impact. That is the case for the Buffalo Bills, who may have to rely heavily on rookie tight end Dawson Knox after Tyler Kroft suffered a broken foot.
Kroft is expected to miss three to four months as he recovers from a broken foot suffered on day one of OTAs. It is a big blow for a player who missed all of last season with the Cincinnati Bengals before signing a three-year $18.75million deal with the Bills. However, it provides a distinct opportunity for one of the more underrated skill position players in the 2019 class.
Knox only had 39 catches for 605 yards in his career at Ole Miss but demonstrated an intriguing skill set to suggest he can develop into a starting-caliber tight end in the pros.
Taken in the third round by the Bills, Knox caught the ball very well for the Rebels, attacking it with strong hands, rarely committing drops and regularly making catches outside of his frame.
He is also an impressive athlete who can get a step on defenders downfield while working down the seam and boasts the leaping ability to high-point the football on a consistent basis.
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What should give the Bills great confidence in Knox, however, is his blocking. He was frequently used as a lead blocker by Ole Miss and had success sealing off defenders as well as working at the second level, showing a willingness to finish his blocks and drive defenders into the turf.
Knox’s blocking technique is in need of refinement and he will need to develop as a route-runner having run an extremely limited tree in his college career.
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Yet his obvious talent should give the Bills great confidence Knox can fill the void left by Kroft and produce as a rookie. Quarterback Josh Allen needs as many reliable pass-catching options as he can get, and Knox now has a huge opportunity to prove his dependability right off the bat.