Hot take: Shakir should be the starting slot receiver going forward

[without a drought]

12 minutes ago, Rubes said:

Taiwan.

 

He was just setting up the 98 yard TD.

[clayboy54]

18 minutes ago, Rocky Landing said:

I'd like to see him on P/KR, and back up McKenzie.

...when the wind is not blowing like a hurricane.

[KHAN]

When McKenzie comes back, he'll be the "starter". He's earned it. But Shakir has earned a fair share of the playing time. I'd like it looked at like 1A/1B rather than #1/#2.

 

Crowder will likely be one and done here. But but I like him as possible veteran depth late in the season/playoffs if there are injuries.

[Maine-iac]

The beauty of Shakir is that he is (on paper) roughly the same size as Diggs and possibly faster so he can play inside or outside and that means any place we have an injury he can fill in.  That means even as a rookie he can get on the field and gain more experience which is a great oppurtunity for him and good for us.

[Brandon]

Yeah, he needs to be on the field more.  At the very least,  I'd play him ahead of Crowder,  but I think he'll probably take McKenzie's job as the slot WR by the end of the season if not sooner.  That's no knock on McKenzie at all,  but I think Shakir is going to be better soon if he isn't already. 

[nedboy7]

Going with McKenzie this season.  No way do I put in Shakir ahead of him.  Love Shakir btw. 

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by nedboy7

[Rico]

46 minutes ago, Pete said:

Shakir>Crowder and it’s not even close

Well, yeah. Pretty sure Crowder has played his last play for the Bills.

[pigpen65]

I love his deceptive speed. Something about his build doesn't make you think he's going to be fast, but he's fast. Or at least he plays that way. Really seems to be catching defenders of guard with his asked too

[Donuts and Doritos]

But he had a drop. We need OBJ ASAP! 😉

[FireChans]

3 hours ago, Logic said:

I know, I know -- it's early, and you'll say I'm jumping the gun.

I don't care. I've seen enough: Khalil Shakir should be the starting slot receiver going forward, even when McKenzie and Crowder return to full health.

At the very least, he should be splitting reps with McKenzie and seeing more playing time than Jamison Crowder.

He runs great routes. He constantly seems to get open. He has relatively sure hands (one bad concentration drop yesterday not withstanding). He offers run-after-catch ability that this offense often lacks. He has the frame and build to withstand the tough over-the-middle work. 

Aside from all of that, he just passes the eyeball test in a way that the Bills' other two slot options do not. Frankly, he looks like a star in the making.

I love McKenzie as a player and am glad he's on the roster, but has he looked like a dynamic full time slot option to anyone over the first four games? He hasn't looked that way to me. I like Crowder, too. He's a solid, dependable veteran depth option. Again, though: he doesn't seem to pop off the screen the way Shakir was.

I have figured all along that Shakir would be brought along slowly, that he'd be more of a contender for starting duties in 2023 or 2024. Given McDermott's M.O., that still may happen. I don't think it should, though. I've seen enough. He's the best option to start in the slot. The coaches always preach getting the best players on the field, regardless of tenure or pedigree. If they're true to their word, Shakir should start seeing more opportunities. I hope he does.

I’ll say it. Shakir has had 1 good game. You don’t earn the starting spot after that. No.

[EmotionallyUnstable]

About four weeks ago I got flamed in a thread for suggesting that Shakir should be active, instead of carrying 3 RBs into the game. 
 

Time heals all things. 

[LanderPoke]

Was it Crowder or McKenzie that supposedly put Beasley out of a job and was supposed to be a huge boon to the team? Can't remember.

Anyway, yes, play Shakir. He's a darn good football player.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, Rocky Landing said:

I'd like to see him on P/KR, and back up McKenzie.

 

You saw him on P/KR yesterday. 

 

Taiwan Jones was removed after his initial muff cost us a start on the 2 yd line.

Shakir had 1 KR for 34 yds. 

 

On punt returns, he had 3 wave-offs and 1 fair catch, no returns. 

The wave offs resulted in another start from our own 2 yd line (yuck), a "Buffalo Bounce" to the Buff 47, and a short punt downed at the Buff 46.

 

The wind conditions were challenging, and it's better he should wave-off than try to field it and muff, but I can't say he locked down the PR position.

 

[Doc]

50 minutes ago, nedboy7 said:

Going with McKenzie this season.  No way do I put in Shakir ahead of him.  Love Shakir btw. 

 

Depends on who looks better in practice and when they get a chance on the field.

 

29 minutes ago, Donuts and Doritos said:

But he had a drop. We need OBJ ASAP! 😉

 

At least it didn't lead to an INT.

 

10 minutes ago, LanderPoke said:

Was it Crowder or McKenzie that supposedly put Beasley out of a job and was supposed to be a huge boon to the team? Can't remember.

Anyway, yes, play Shakir. He's a darn good football player.

 

Beasley put himself out of a job with the vaccine brouhaha and declining play.  

[Beck Water]

14 minutes ago, LanderPoke said:

Was it Crowder or McKenzie that supposedly put Beasley out of a job and was supposed to be a huge boon to the team? Can't remember.

Anyway, yes, play Shakir. He's a darn good football player.

 

I don't think either of them put Beasley out of the job.  McKenzie had an amazeball game the 2nd NWE game last year - 11 receptions on 12 targets, 125 yds, he high-pointed balls, he laid out for balls, he caught them in traffic, he ran himself open, he looked fantastic.   He did look like "Beasley with no ribs better than healthy i-Mac?  You SURE about that?"

 

But, that was in part the Hoodie's fault.  They stayed in man on McKenzie and he smoked them. 

 

The gouge on them this season was that Crowder and McKenzie were supposed to be hard to cover as a duo, swapping in and out.  Crowder is the crafty zone-beater and McKenzie the man killer. 

 

Shakir has the potential to be both, as well as to be able to line up outside.  But he has to prove it.  Keep in mind Pitts was playing with a depleted and injured secondary.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Beck Water

[Logic]

47 minutes ago, FireChans said:

I’ll say it. Shakir has had 1 good game. You don’t earn the starting spot after that. No.

I understand that point of view.

I'd point to a consistent body of work, beginning in the preseason, and continuing every time he's gotten an opportunity in the regular season.

I think that, in actuality, he'll continue to trail McKenzie in snaps, perhaps slowly approaching a 50-50 split.

Still, I trust my eyes on this one. Shakir is a star in the making. They won't be able to keep him off the field forever, because he'll continue to force their hand.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Logic

[Rocky Landing]

1 hour ago, Beck Water said:

 

You saw him on P/KR yesterday. 

 

Taiwan Jones was removed after his initial muff cost us a start on the 2 yd line.

Shakir had 1 KR for 34 yds. 

 

On punt returns, he had 3 wave-offs and 1 fair catch, no returns. 

The wave offs resulted in another start from our own 2 yd line (yuck), a "Buffalo Bounce" to the Buff 47, and a short punt downed at the Buff 46.

 

The wind conditions were challenging, and it's better he should wave-off than try to field it and muff, but I can't say he locked down the PR position.

 

I'm well aware of all of this, and I like what I saw. I think his skills, and particularly his vision, make him a good choice for the position, especially considering it was his first opportunity. Given the conditions, the wave offs didn't bother me. 

 

It's been a revolving door ever since Andre Roberts left, and I think Shakir could really develop into the position. That would be my hope, anyway.

[Luka]

Have been saying since preseason, he should be starting.

[FireChans]

27 minutes ago, Logic said:

I understand that point of view.

I'd point to a consistent body of work, beginning in the preseason, and continuing every time he's gotten an opportunity in the regular season.

I think that, in actuality, he'll continue to trail McKenzie in snaps, perhaps slowly approaching a 50-50 split.

Still, I trust my eyes on this one. Shakir is a star in the making. They won't be able to keep him off the field forever, because he'll continue to force their hand.

Body of work includes camp 

[GunnerBill]

2 hours ago, LanderPoke said:

Was it Crowder or McKenzie that supposedly put Beasley out of a job and was supposed to be a huge boon to the team? Can't remember.

Anyway, yes, play Shakir. He's a darn good football player.

 

Cole Beasley being done is what put Cole Beasley out of a job. It was very evident watching the games last year that he was washed.