The Buffalo Bills may have dodged a bullet with star wide receiver Khalil Shakir.
The fourth-year wide receiver was injured at the team’s practice last week, suffering a high ankle sprain that has kept him out of practice since. The team had not given an exact timeframe of when he could return, but head coach Sean McDermott on Thursday announced some good news for his status as the regular season draws near.
Bills Expected Khalil Shakir Back
As The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia reported, McDermott told reporters before Thursday’s practice that Shakir is expected to be back on the field for the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens.
“Bills HC Sean McDermott said he’s being told as of now that WR Khalil Shakir should be on pace to return for the start of the season,” Buscaglia wrote. “Shakir is dealing with a high ankle sprain.”
The Bills open the season with a rematch of last year’s divisional-round playoff game, which the Bills won thanks in part to Shakir’s strong play. He led the team with six receptions for 67 yards.
Shakir emerged as the team’s top wide receiver last season, filling the void after the team traded Stefon Diggs and allowed No. 2 Gabe Davis to leave in free agency. He notched career highs with 76 receptions for 821 yards and four touchdowns. Shakir also shined in the playoffs, averaging six receptions and 58 yards in each of the team’s three games.
The team adopted an “everybody eats” approach after the departures of Diggs and Davis, spreading targets to a wider group of pass-catchers. But it was Shakir who often emerged as the most trusted target for quarterback Josh Allen.
It’s not clear if Shakir will be available to play in any of the team’s three preseason games, but the Bills are taking a conservative approach with their top players. The team announced on Thursday that Allen would not appear in the first game, which kicks off on Saturday against the New York Giants.
Bills Showed Khalil Shakir the Money
The Bills had just made a big investment in Shakir this offseason, giving him a four-year extension worth up to $60.2 million.
General manager Brandon Beane shared praise for Shakir at the time the deal was signed, saying he fits the team and city’s culture perfectly.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone — fans, players — anyone in our building to say anything negative about Khalil and what he’s brought,” Beane said at the NFL Scouting Combine, via NFL.com. “The guy is a true lunch pail Buffalonian. I mean, I know he’s not from Buffalo but he doesn’t say anything, he just shows up everyday. He’s Mr. Dependable, and when the ball comes his way he usually comes down with it.”
Shakir could have more competition in the coming season after the Bills added some trusted veteran receivers in Elijah Moore and Joshua Palmer. Both have earned praise from the team and looked strong through early practices and training camp. Fellow veteran Lavishka Shenault is expected to compete for a spot both as a receiver and return specialist.
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