headtopics
Bills Second-Year Tight End Projected to Take Bigger Step Forward in 2026 The second of Buffalos two fifth-round draft choices a year ago made the most of his playing time during his rookie campaign.
Jackson Hawes bears watching.
Nov 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Keleki Latu and tight end Jackson Hawes and cornerback Maxwell Hairston take the field to play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
| Charles LeClaire-Imagn Imagesfor each of the 32 teams in the league.
In fact, she suggested on more than one occasion that a club had multiple players primed for a big year in 2026.
When it came to the Buffalo Bills, now under the command of new head coach Joe Brady, she pointed to a performer that was.The team already had its share of talent at the tight end position, but that didnt stop general manager Brandon BeaneSep 18, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Jackson Hawes celebrates with tight end Dawson Knox after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter at Highmark Stadium.| Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Jackson Hawes caught just 16 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie in 2025, explained Geitheim, but when he got his opportunities, he proved impactful for the Bills offenseparticularly when Josh Allen began improvising and extending plays..
Hes a blocker first and has to compete for targets with two other good tight ends in Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid, added Geitheim, but his stout blocking should lead to more playing time and tapping into more of his potential as a pass catcher.
During his rookie campaign, the 64, 253-pound played in all 17 regular-season contests and made eight starts.He also appeared in both of Buffalos playoff contests, earning a start in the wild card round at Jacksonville.
He played in a totaled of 487 offensive snaps and 79 on special teams during the regular season.Hawes saw a combined 47 offensive snaps in the postseason split with the Jaguars and Broncos , and 10 more on special teams in the overtime loss at Denver.behind San Franciscos Georger Kittle, Kincaid, and fellow 2025 draft classmate Colston Lovelandthe latter leading the Bears in catches, receiving yards, while being tied for the team lead in TD receptions.
It's interesting to note that Hawes was targeted only 19 times during the regular season and not once in the playoffs.Still, he finished in the Top 10 ofRussell S.
Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms.
That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards.
He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.