Bills OC says underrated WR is 'everything you look for in a wide receiver'

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady is excited about wide receiver Khalil Shakir's opportunity entering his third season.

Jan 22, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) makes a catch in the second quarter of an AFC divisional round game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

It’s difficult to not be excited about Khalil Shakir.

The Buffalo Bills wideout has always been fun to watch, this dating back to his time at Boise State when he was deployed as a swiss-army knife who was simply dynamic with the ball in his hands. He’s shown flashes of his ability throughout his two professional seasons, particularly down the stretch of his 39-reception, 611-yard 2023 campaign in which he cemented his rapport with quarterback Josh Allen and carved out a consistent role in the Buffalo offense. His late-season breakout culminated in a Week 18 division-clinching win over the Miami Dolphins in which the sophomore caught six passes for 105 yards, helping the team solidify its fourth-straight AFC East title.

His demonstrated chemistry with Allen, the general ascending nature of his game, and the offseason departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis from the Bills’ receiving corps set the stage for what could be a monster year for Shakir, who figures to play a prominent role in Buffalo’s revamped aerial attack. Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady talked about the 24-year-old while speaking to reporters ahead of a Tuesday OTA practice at One Bills Drive, praising his work ethic and ability while, perhaps unintentionally, fanning the flames of the breakout hype.

“I think the biggest thing with any receiver, it was his second year in the league,” Brady said. “You’re going to continue to grow, you’re going to continue to develop, you’re going to get a feel of defenses and how to run routes and leverages. There are so many more elements than just running routes just on air. Seeing his evolution last year was huge. He’s an extremely bright player, like the intelligence that I talk about, that is Khalil Shakir.

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“When he’s out there and his feel of the zones and his understanding of the man, can play outside, play inside, he’s everything that you look for in a wide receiver. The evolution, [what’s] next, is a lot on Khalil. Fortunately, his work ethic and his approach, there’s no reason he can’t [play a bigger role]. Just getting that chemistry with Josh on different types of routes, and as we go from there.”

Brady demonstrably likes to utilize Shakir; after the coach took over play-calling duties on an interim basis in Week 11 last season, the wideout’s role in the offense increased dramatically, becoming a mainstay on 11-personnel sets. The sophomore averaged 2.1 targets per game throughout the first 10 weeks of this season, this number jumping to 3.4 targets per game after Brady ascended to offensive coordinator midway through the campaign.

One can perhaps expect this number to grow even further in the 2024 season, as Shakir is the sole remaining wideout in the Buffalo receiving corps who has caught a pass from Allen in a regular season contest. He’ll have to fight for targets with second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid, rookie Keon Coleman, and free agent signee Curtis Samuel, but if he’s able to build on his strong finish to the 2023 season as he commences his third year, the name “Khalil Shakir” may become one well known throughout the homes of football fans.