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30 most important Bills players of 2026: No. 26 Jackson Hawes
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- 30 most important Bills players of 2026: No. 26 Jackson Hawes
As the Buffalo Bills prepare for the 2026 NFL season, Bills Wire will take a look at the most important contributors on their roster. The team has some cornerstone players who will be returning for another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Buffalo, and they'll have help from some new additions as well.
Leading up to the season, we will be counting down the top-30 most important players on the roster. We'll recap their 2025 season, look ahead to what they'll offer in 2026, and tackle the most pressing questions surrounding them this coming year.
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Next on the countdown is Jackson Hawes .
Background
Position: Tight end
Age at start of season: 25
Experience: Second year
2026 cap hit: $1,085,054
2025 recap
Hawes had a tremendous impact as a blocker in his rookie season for the Bills , and also came down with some crucial catches. On the year, he recorded 16 catches on 19 targets for 187 yards and three touchdowns, but it was his effectiveness as a blocker that led to him receiving an 83.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus , which was the third-highest grade on the Bills offense , and the second-highest grade among all rookies.
2026 outlook
Hawes will once again serve as the TE3 behind veterans Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox in what is one of the better tight end rooms in the NFL. He'll continue to be utilized as a blocker in heavier packages, which has been effective and has helped James Cook have massive rushing totals.
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Biggest question: Expanded role in 2026?
Despite being behind two quality tight ends, Hawes saw about 40% of snaps in 2025. Kincaid missing five games added to that number, so while he may not be on the field a whole lot more this year, he could be expanding his work. Fullback Reggie Gilliam left in free agency, so there is an opportunity for Hawes to play out of the backfield a bit and maybe even attract more targets from Josh Allen in the passing game.
30 most important Bills of 2026
Check back as we continue the countdown on our list of the 30 most important Bills ahead of the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 30 most important Bills players of 2026: No. 26 Jackson Hawes
