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

[Royale with Cheese]

Just now, GunnerBill said:

 

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. 

 

Why do you hate Shakir?

[JoshAllin]

Mckenzie has been scoring plenty of td's and also had a wide open one skipped to him, I wouldn't go far into throwing shakir right away into a starting spot over him because he had a nice game against a demoralized steelers team, but he should be on the field for sure

Edited October 10, 2022 by motorj

[Bills2022]

6 hours ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

I'm not going to just bench Mckenzie forever - its a fluid spot as it was before.  Some games it might be a shakir, others mckenzie.  

 

Why?  Shakir is just better than McKenzie. It really isn't close.

[Eastport bills]

I love Shakir and he gets open every play. He’s a good returner and he’s a starter in the slot, hopefully sooner than later. I look forward to defending Diggs, Davis, Knox and Shakir. McKenzie is a jet sweep and depth option. Hodgins has potential and can definitely play at this level.

[Nitro]

Slow your roll om Shakir.  It was a beat up secondary.  Let him develop and give him more playing time as he deserves it.   

[Rocky Landing]

19 minutes ago, Bills2022 said:

 

Why?  Shakir is just better than McKenzie. It really isn't close.

What now???

[Shaw66]

I agree with all the positive comments here, and I disagree with the negative.  Really.

 

1.  I've never been a big McKenzie fan.  Not great hands, not an intuitive route runner.   Love his speed, but that's it. 

 

2.  Someone said Cooper Kupp.   Not to say he's as good as Kupp, but he's the same style - get open, good hands, run after catch.  

 

3.  Crowder was good, better than McKenzie, more like Beas, but now he's gone, at least for several weeks.  

 

4.  Shakir is tough.  He doesn't shy away from those quick slants over the middle that Allen likes to rely on. 

 

5.  Shakir's drop was part of his learning process with Allen.   Allen's anticipation is so good, and his velocity is so good, that receivers need to turn for the ball quickly and expect that the ball will be there when they turn.   On the drop, Shakir was a little slow, and when he turned the ball was on him.  He didn't get regular first-team reps with Allen in training camp or preseason games, although he spent some time with the ones.  It really wasn't until this week in practice that he practiced regularly with Allen.   I'm confident Shakir will learn to play at Allen-speed. 

 

6.  The punt he let go was a great decision.  There's only one thing I want from a punt returner - don't lose the ball.  Especially with an offense that can score from the two-yard line, having the ball is more important than where you have it.   So, when the ball was coming down, Shakir would have had to make a running catch, and the wind was making it tougher.  The smart move was to get out of the way, rather than to try to make a difficult catch.  Ravens got some good bounces and then made an excellent play on the ball.  Still, Shakir did the right thing.   I also like him back there because every punt I've seen him catch, beginning in preseason, he was really sure-handed.  No bobbles.  Ball comes into his arms and stays right there.   That's what I liked about Crowder back there, and that's what we always saw from Hyde.  

 

7.  Decent speed, good open field running ability, at least based on what we've seen so far.  

 

I think the guy is a keeper.   Three weeks ago I was saying there was no need to call him up.  This week there was a clear need, and he showed that he belongs out there.   I think he's the starter, even when McKenzie gets back.  

 

A great find by Beane.   Well, to be honest, I'd say that even Beane would say there was a lot of luck involved.  He's always said Shakir was a no-brainer where they got him.   The great move by a GM would have been to have taken him earlier.   Beane and everyone else let him fall, and finally Beane knew he couldn't wait any longer.  

[HOUSE]

I agree

[FLFan]

He has certainly bought himself lots more playing time.  He looks good.  What struck me most yesterday is his ability to get downfield and make plays from the slot. This is something the Bills have not had with Beasley, Crowder, or even MacKenzie.    I think he can be special.  

[Logic]

The things that pop off the tape for me with Shakir are his toughness/fearlessness over the middle and his run-after-catch ability.

The play last week in the Ravens game where he caught it near the line of scrimmage and proceeded to juke a defender and run for 12 yards and a first down was a thing of beauty.

For a team that has talked as much about getting RAC -- and has put as much effort into manufacturing it -- as the Bills have, they can't ignore what Shakir has brought to the table in this department. He's a legit RAC guy -- he was that throughout his career at Boise St, too. Almost like a running back once the ball is in his hands.

I'm really excited for this kid's future.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, Bills2022 said:

Shakir is just better than McKenzie. It really isn't close.

 

Based on what?  One start where Shakir had 3 excellent receptions on 5 targets, a TD, and a 35 yd kickoff return?

We can pop back one game where McKenzie had 4 receptions on 6 targets, a TD, and a 42 yd kickoff return - and only played 3/4 of the game

 

Yes, Shakir looks very promising and his physical attributes give him a higher ceiling than McKenzie, but his playing time is just starting and it's not without flaw.  Let's pump the brakes on the comparisons just yet.

 

48 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

6.  The punt he let go was a great decision.  There's only one thing I want from a punt returner - don't lose the ball.  Especially with an offense that can score from the two-yard line, having the ball is more important than where you have it.   So, when the ball was coming down, Shakir would have had to make a running catch, and the wind was making it tougher.  The smart move was to get out of the way, rather than to try to make a difficult catch.  Ravens got some good bounces and then made an excellent play on the ball.  Still, Shakir did the right thing.   I also like him back there because every punt I've seen him catch, beginning in preseason, he was really sure-handed.  No bobbles.  Ball comes into his arms and stays right there.   That's what I liked about Crowder back there, and that's what we always saw from Hyde. 

 

Just FTR, there wasn't "the punt he let go".  He fielded 4 punts and let 3 of them go, fair caught 1.  One took a huge Steelers bounce, one took a huge Buffalo bounce, and one was neutral.

 

I'm not going to dis on the kid for that, you're right it was tough conditions.  But being sure-handed while only catching 25% of the punts is not what McDermott's expecting, bet on it.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Beck Water

[finn]

8 hours ago, BidsJr said:

The way he plays and moves, I see a lot of Andre Reed in him.

That's interesting. Are you thinking of his Reed-like glide, upright posture, soft hands, and deceptive speed?

[Bimmer323i]

I’m not sure off the top of my head how often were in a 4 wr set but why not have both McKenzie and Shikir on the field at the same time… 

[Xwnyer]

Agree he can get vertical and has speed

[Shaw66]

48 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Based on what?  One start where Shakir had 3 excellent receptions on 5 targets, a TD, and a 35 yd kickoff return?

We can pop back one game where McKenzie had 4 receptions on 6 targets, a TD, and a 42 yd kickoff return - and only played 3/4 of the game

 

Yes, Shakir looks very promising and his physical attributes give him a higher ceiling than McKenzie, but his playing time is just starting and it's not without flaw.  Let's pump the brakes on the comparisons just yet.

 

 

Just FTR, there wasn't "the punt he let go".  He fielded 4 punts and let 3 of them go, fair caught 1.  One took a huge Steelers bounce, one took a huge Buffalo bounce, and one was neutral.

 

I'm not going to dis on the kid for that, you're right it was tough conditions.  But being sure-handed while only catching 25% of the punts is not what McDermott's expecting, bet on it.

My response to "Based on what?" is that Shakir has found open space more consistently than McKenzie while running from wide out as well as the slot, and he has shown better consistency catching the ball - McKenzie's hands have been suspect for years.

 

As for the punts, yes, McDermott wants more punts caught, but number 1, by far, for McDermott is that he wants the play to end with the Bills possessing the ball.  If Shakir is too conservative making plays on the ball, well, they can work on that.  If a guy is too aggressive, he's going straight to the bench, but McDermott doesn't want to risk losing the ball.  

 

I concluded a month or two ago that I don't care how many yards the return man gets or doesn't get; I just want no turnovers.  I'm happy to have Shakir run away from five punts rather than fumble one.  What I like about Shakir is that he gets the ball security issue. 

[SectionC3]

1 hour ago, Shaw66 said:

I agree with all the positive comments here, and I disagree with the negative.  Really.

 

1.  I've never been a big McKenzie fan.  Not great hands, not an intuitive route runner.   Love his speed, but that's it. 

 

2.  Someone said Cooper Kupp.   Not to say he's as good as Kupp, but he's the same style - get open, good hands, run after catch.  

 

3.  Crowder was good, better than McKenzie, more like Beas, but now he's gone, at least for several weeks.  

 

4.  Shakir is tough.  He doesn't shy away from those quick slants over the middle that Allen likes to rely on. 

 

5.  Shakir's drop was part of his learning process with Allen.   Allen's anticipation is so good, and his velocity is so good, that receivers need to turn for the ball quickly and expect that the ball will be there when they turn.   On the drop, Shakir was a little slow, and when he turned the ball was on him.  He didn't get regular first-team reps with Allen in training camp or preseason games, although he spent some time with the ones.  It really wasn't until this week in practice that he practiced regularly with Allen.   I'm confident Shakir will learn to play at Allen-speed. 

 

6.  The punt he let go was a great decision.  There's only one thing I want from a punt returner - don't lose the ball.  Especially with an offense that can score from the two-yard line, having the ball is more important than where you have it.   So, when the ball was coming down, Shakir would have had to make a running catch, and the wind was making it tougher.  The smart move was to get out of the way, rather than to try to make a difficult catch.  Ravens got some good bounces and then made an excellent play on the ball.  Still, Shakir did the right thing.   I also like him back there because every punt I've seen him catch, beginning in preseason, he was really sure-handed.  No bobbles.  Ball comes into his arms and stays right there.   That's what I liked about Crowder back there, and that's what we always saw from Hyde.  

 

7.  Decent speed, good open field running ability, at least based on what we've seen so far.  

 

I think the guy is a keeper.   Three weeks ago I was saying there was no need to call him up.  This week there was a clear need, and he showed that he belongs out there.   I think he's the starter, even when McKenzie gets back.  

 

A great find by Beane.   Well, to be honest, I'd say that even Beane would say there was a lot of luck involved.  He's always said Shakir was a no-brainer where they got him.   The great move by a GM would have been to have taken him earlier.   Beane and everyone else let him fall, and finally Beane knew he couldn't wait any longer.  

Not perceptible on the broadcast was the impact of the wind on the punt Shakir let go.   The wind hung it up and, on the way down, it was moving back toward the LOS.  Really want him to make that catch, but it was the right call to bail on that mess. 

[Shaw66]

7 minutes ago, SectionC3 said:

Not perceptible on the broadcast was the impact of the wind on the punt Shakir let go.   The wind hung it up and, on the way down, it was moving back toward the LOS.  Really want him to make that catch, but it was the right call to bail on that mess. 

I agree.   It was not a ball I wanted him trying to catch.  

[Aurelius]

60/40 Shakir to get the snaps.  Love McKenzie but he can also be slotted more to ST stuff.  I love Shakir’s toughness and potential and RAC.  I love McKenzie too but I’m feeling Shakir’s vibe. 

[Beck Water]

41 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

My response to "Based on what?" is that Shakir has found open space more consistently than McKenzie while running from wide out as well as the slot, and he has shown better consistency catching the ball - McKenzie's hands have been suspect for years.

 

So you’re concluding this from basically 55 snaps running with the 1s in 2 games, in which he saw 7 targets?  And another 24 snaps from garbage time?

 

I think Shakir shows every promise of being a solid WR in the NFL, and maybe a very good one.  But all that stuff about “has found open space more consistently” blah blah based on a very small sample size, is IMO “projecting” your own biases and beliefs onto what you see.

 

It’s like the people who are alleging Bernard is so much better than Dodson based on like 41 snaps in “clean up time”.  He may become that, but you really can’t tell that he is right now.

[ganesh]

2 hours ago, FLFan said:

He has certainly bought himself lots more playing time.  He looks good.  What struck me most yesterday is his ability to get downfield and make plays from the slot. This is something the Bills have not had with Beasley, Crowder, or even MacKenzie.    I think he can be special.  

I think you have forgotten Beasley's play's so fast....Bease could do all of that....and was the security blanket for Josh Allen.   Shakir looks to be like the next Beas for THIS team.