The Buffalo Bills currently have one tight end under contract for 2019 in Jason Croom.

Needless to say, the team will likely be looking to add a few other tight ends into the fold in free agency or via the 2019 NFL Draft. While we’ll likely hear of the team’s interest in draft eligible tight ends starting at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, a report on Thursday says the Bills are ‘very interested’ in a soon-to-be free agent.

Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com shared that Buffalo is one of two teams very interested in Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jesse James on his most recent podcast.

“If there is one tight end who gets a big contract that turns heads it’s likely to be Jesse James of the Pittsburgh Steelers," said Pauline. "I’m told the team would like to re-sign James, but he presently sits behind Vance McDonald on the Steelers depth chart and staying with Pittsburgh is not a career move that James would want. Presently, I’m told that the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Buffalo Bills are two teams very interested in James once he hits the open market.”

James’ stats appear modest at first glance. The tight end is coming off of a season in which he caught 30 passes for 423 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games (7 starts). In the last three seasons, James’ receiving yards have increased, but he’s never caught more than 43 passes in a season.

Although James’ stats don’t jump off the page, it’s important to remember that was essentially the Steelers’ fifth or sixth option in the passing game. At 24 years old, James’ best football should be ahead of him.

Pro Football Focus graded James as their No. 30 tight end in 2018, but his individual grades could shed light into Buffalo’s interest. While he finished with a 66.4 overall grade, James fared well as a run blocker (64.0) and in pass protection (76.8). Considering Buffalo’s blocking woes last season, a tight end like James would help in both run and pass blocking.