Underrated Bills WR named potential candidate

Although the Buffalo Bills added some external reinforcements to their receiving corps during the 2024 NFL offseason, one could reasonably argue that his additions do little to overshadow their subtractions.

The team signed free agents Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and selected Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but those players will be tasked with replacing production released by Stefon Diggs. and Gabriel Davis, both of whom left in the spring after finishing first and second, respectively, in receiving yards for the Bills in each of the last two seasons.

There are legitimate concerns one might have about Buffalo’s pass-catching unit, but the relative subtlety of its moves versus its subtractions would suggest confidence in the options already on its roster; One of those options is third-year wide receiver Khalil Shakir, who shined throughout his two professional seasons with 49 receptions for 772 yards and three touchdowns.

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His usage increased over the course of last season after Joe Brady was promoted to interim offensive coordinator in Week 11, becoming a mainstay on 11 personnel sets. He gained the trust of quarterback Josh Allen as the season progressed, culminating in a Week 18 game in which Shakir caught six passes for 105 yards.

With the interim tag removed from Brady’s title and Shakir’s relationship with Allen established, it appears the wideout is poised to play a prominent role in the Bills’ revamped receiving corps. This sentiment is echoed by Dan Pizzuta of the 33rd Team, who recently identified Shakir as a potential candidate for the 2024 NFL season.

“Shakir killed zone coverage (2.54 yards per route with Brady) and did some of his best work from the slot,” Pizzuta wrote. “Since Shakir, Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman could all be at their best from the slot, Buffalo could find themselves in a bit of a bind inside. We could also include TE Dalton Kincaid there. When he was lined up at On the outside, Shakir had just one target on 46 routes under Brady. It’s far from ideal if you’re trying to project him as a preferred option in a passing game, but these snaps were often designed to go away.

“Shakir has the traits to win away; he just hasn’t been asked to do so in his two seasons in the NFL. If he can win consistently there, Shakir could become a target to high volume for a Buffalo offense that desperately needs it.”

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Pizzuta mentions Coleman as a potential threat to eat away at Shakir’s shots, but it doesn’t seem like that’s the case; Although some prognosticators suggest that Coleman would be better projected as a “big” receiver at the pro level, general manager Brandon Beane has already suggested that the rookie would play widely for the team.

That said, Shakir could occasionally flank Coleman throughout the season; he was primarily used in the slot, but he played 184 wideout snaps last year, according to Pro Football Focus. While he and Samuel may be interchangeable in terms of outside/location versatility, Samuel seems a bit more location exclusive, which would leave Shakir with more outside shots on his plate.

As Pizzuta alludes to, Shakir could become an ultra-productive receiver if he is able to take advantage of these opportunities, especially when playing with world-beater Josh Allen.