Bills and Khalil Shakir agree to 4-year extension ($60.2 million/$32 million guaranteed)

[Andrew Son]

45 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

Might as well kept Davis for 13 mil a year.

LOL!  You'll never give him up!

[ColoradoBills]

1 hour ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

He's getting Courtland Sutton money for far less than Sutton production.  Might as well kept Davis for 13 mil a year.

 

No one is telling you to like the signing.  I think it's great news.

[Mister Defense]

Great news, as Shakir will clearly be a cornerstone of this offense under Allen.

 

He may become a perennial pro bowler once the Bills have a high level wideout or two on the boundaries--and throw the ball to the backs more.

 

Seems like a bargain price, maybe a considerable one.  Time will tell.

 

Thanks, Beane!  Now, show Cook some love..and lock up someone who is just as vital to this offense, and like Shakir, just getting started.

 

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Mister Defense

[BillsVet]

10 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

It does, I think, kill off the prospect of the blockbuster vet receiver trade in 2025. That was always my take. Shakir I'd do if you could get him in at $15m AAV - so long as you have a plan for outside receiver that you think is cost effective in terms of vet FA or draft. You gotta give Josh one guy at least he knows he can trust and who is going to be here. I expect as well when we see the details the Bills are tied to him for 2025, 2026 and 2027, there is an expensive out that they could take but would rather not in 2028 and then a much cheaper out that they might take depending on performance in 2029.

 

I really hope you're wrong, but it's a reasonable take primarily because I suspect their off-season review concluded the defense needs more personnel investment.  Sure, that's not altogether wrong, but to add corners who can cover M2M, more stout DTs, another DE who can rush the passer, and another safety...well, it leaves less to make that big acquisition on offense even with freeing up more cap room.  

 

Still, something's truly lost on McBeane where they don't try to take an asset and maximize it.  As in, you have a guy like Shakir who is a slot-only receiver running shallow patterns despite his RAC ability now being paid good money.  Investing in a top-end boundary receiver or 2 undoubtedly opens him up and yet it's quite possible they trot out those replacement level (if that) boundary receivers.  And that inhibits Josh as we saw in the Baltimore game when their passing game was easily disrupted.

[Mister Defense]

21 hours ago, ddaryl said:

did you notice how Shakir didn't use social media demanding a new contract with a certain amount nor did he delete all references to the Bills....

 

 

He is not a running back, a group that has been notoriously underpaid for years now.  He did not need to do that. Cook may have, to strengthen his hand.

 

But I believe this is a sign that the Bills will very soon do the right thing and sign Cook to a similar contract, though maybe one more based on incentives. 

 

 

[ddaryl]

37 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

He is not a running back, a group that has been notoriously underpaid for years now.  He did not need to do that. Cook may have, to strengthen his hand.

 

But I believe this is a sign that the Bills will very soon do the right thing and sign Cook to a similar contract, though maybe one more based on incentives. 

 

 

 

Doesn't change the fact I lost respect for the player. 

[Einstein's Dog]

10 hours ago, HappyDays said:

 

I think it's very possible to have one mid-tier WR contract and one upper tier WR contract. If anything that should be the goal. Philly is doing that right now. $15M AAV (and by reports it will actually be less than that anyways) is just not that much under the modern salary cap, especially since the new cap hits won't kick in until 2026 when the cap will likely be around $300M. As recently as 2022 his contract would have been equivalent to a $10M AAV based on that year's salary cap. The cap is rising so rapidly I don't think fans are keeping up with it so we still get the sticker shock of the $15M number. And for the Bills especially it should be easy because we have no upper tier contracts to hand out. Allen will get extended but that will actually lower his cap hits. Benford I think will get $20M. Rousseau TBD. If we can't fit say a big DK Metcalf extension into that picture, Beane isn't doing his job well at all.

I agree, I think/hope that the FO is trying to get back to the plan of paying franchise QB/LT/DE/WR1. 

 

They've got the QB+LT, now need to try again with DE and WR1.  A stand out DE will take draft capital and money for a Garrett/Crosby so I don't think the FO would invest both draft + money for the WR also, which IMO makes DK a long shot (which is unfortunate IMO but understandable).

 

With the overall offensive success with a mediocre A Cooper the FO may have revised and lowered their anticipated investment in a top WR.  I'm hoping they don't go too cheap, I'd like to see D Adams or C Godwin at the $20M mark.  Then there is the drop down to DHop, Slayton or Hollywood Brown.

 

 

[Chandler#81]

 

[DCofNC]

2 hours ago, SoCal Deek said:

Thanks. That’s an interesting way to look at it…and I honestly wish more people did. If you have essentially 50 players then each one represents 2% of the roster. So you’ve gotta think that starters are at 3% and subs are at 1%. Then figure in that you’ve got a few exceptional starters at 4% and a few special teamers and rookies at something lower than 1%. It’s quite a balancing act for sure. While we all take the occasional jab at Beane, it’s a really tricky job for sure. 

In reality, most starters are taking up more than 4% once they hit a second deal.  The QB takes up a massive percentage.  The balance is finding a way to pay about 8 guys a total of 50+% of the cap and fill the rest of the roster with good enough players to be competitive.   This is why drafting is SO IMPORTANT and finding impact players is a HUGE deal.  This is also the thing Beane has failed to do here.  The talent on the roster is severely lower than the Chiefs, Eagles, Ravens, etc because the drafts have not yielded any impact players.  His best pick outside of Allen, has been Benford, a 6th round pick.  That’s flat out scary and explains the roster issues. 

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

3 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 Might as well kept Davis for 13 mil a year.

 

Oh so you are a joke poster, I like it.

[SoCal Deek]

50 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

In reality, most starters are taking up more than 4% once they hit a second deal.  The QB takes up a massive percentage.  The balance is finding a way to pay about 8 guys a total of 50+% of the cap and fill the rest of the roster with good enough players to be competitive.   This is why drafting is SO IMPORTANT and finding impact players is a HUGE deal.  This is also the thing Beane has failed to do here.  The talent on the roster is severely lower than the Chiefs, Eagles, Ravens, etc because the drafts have not yielded any impact players.  His best pick outside of Allen, has been Benford, a 6th round pick.  That’s flat out scary and explains the roster issues. 

Yep....so all the more reason why paying Shakir something close to 4 or 5% of the roster seems like a REALLY good deal.

[GASabresIUFan]

4 hours ago, Mango said:

I am looking at their markets. Shakir is a great piece for us and can play just about every WR position. He is getting less than half than Justin Jeffersons total contract value. 

James Cook is looking to be the highest paid RB in the NFL. While he is a quality RB, I think he is in the second tier behind Henry and Barkley. Cook as the highest paid RB is bad value. 

If I am Beane I tell Cook the can work on getting close to that number but he has to spend the offseason becoming a 3 down back. 

I think we need to move away from this market or that market.  We need to look at production.  Beane just paid $15 mill for a guy who produces 800 yards of offense and 4 TDs who is 25 years old.   By comparison, he now wants to re-sign another 25 year old who produces 1400 yards of offense and 12 TDs.  If I were Cook, I'd be asking for more money as well.  

 

Even if you wanted to go by position, Let's look at Jon Taylor's extension in 2023.  The extension was for 3 years at 14.3 mill per season on average.  That was 6.38% of the 2023 cap.  In today's $ that would be 17.8 mill per season.  Don't forget that Taylor signed this deal after 2 injury plagues seasons where he had 1000 yards from scrimmage with 4 Tds and 900 yards from scrimmage with 8 TDs.   Of all the recent deals, this one is the closest to the Cook situation.

[Brand J]

8 minutes ago, GASabresIUFan said:

I think we need to move away from this market or that market.  We need to look at production.  Beane just paid $15 mill for a guy who produces 800 yards of offense and 4 TDs who is 25 years old.   By comparison, he now wants to re-sign another 25 year old who produces 1400 yards of offense and 12 TDs.  If I were Cook, I'd be asking for more money as well.  

 

Even if you wanted to go by position, Let's look at Jon Taylor's extension in 2023.  The extension was for 3 years at 14.3 mill per season on average.  That was 6.38% of the 2023 cap.  In today's $ that would be 17.8 mill per season.  Don't forget that Taylor signed this deal after 2 injury plagues seasons where he had 1000 yards from scrimmage with 4 Tds and 900 yards from scrimmage with 8 TDs.   Of all the recent deals, this one is the closest to the Cook situation.

It’s the fault of the RBs for taking such low deals, the market is out of whack. Can’t ignore what it currently is to pay James what he’s worth, then it qualifies as an unnecessary overspend. All the 1st and 2nd tier RBs should go to the NFLPA and see about getting more coin their way, it’s not the Bills job to change that. 

[Mango]

39 minutes ago, GASabresIUFan said:

I think we need to move away from this market or that market.  We need to look at production.  Beane just paid $15 mill for a guy who produces 800 yards of offense and 4 TDs who is 25 years old.   By comparison, he now wants to re-sign another 25 year old who produces 1400 yards of offense and 12 TDs.  If I were Cook, I'd be asking for more money as well.  

 

Even if you wanted to go by position, Let's look at Jon Taylor's extension in 2023.  The extension was for 3 years at 14.3 mill per season on average.  That was 6.38% of the 2023 cap.  In today's $ that would be 17.8 mill per season.  Don't forget that Taylor signed this deal after 2 injury plagues seasons where he had 1000 yards from scrimmage with 4 Tds and 900 yards from scrimmage with 8 TDs.   Of all the recent deals, this one is the closest to the Cook situation.

 

I don't fault Cook for trying to get paid. But I also think Jonathan Taylor is a better overall back than Cook is on a team without a QB. I know this is the way the league goes. The next guy up resets the market. But it also drives me crazy. Similarly, it is insane to me that any QB in the league (outside of Burrow) is being paid more than Allen or Mahomes. 

[GASabresIUFan]

34 minutes ago, Brand J said:

It’s the fault of the RBs for taking such low deals, the market is out of whack. Can’t ignore what it currently is to pay James what he’s worth, then it qualifies as an unnecessary overspend. All the 1st and 2nd tier RBs should go to the NFLPA and see about getting more coin their way, it’s not the Bills job to change that. 

As I pointed out, if I were Cook's agent, I'd point to the Taylor contract and use it's 6.38% of cap to negotiate Cook's next deal.  Then neither agent or team is resetting that market, but using what has already been done.

 

The Bills correctly want Cook to be come a 3 down back.  I agree, he should see more than 207 carries and should get more than 36 targets.  If the Bills don't extend him now and let him play out this season, it's going to cost significantly more in a franchise tag or in losing him to free agency.  

4 minutes ago, Mango said:

 

I don't fault Cook for trying to get paid. But I also think Jonathan Taylor is a better overall back than Cook is on a team without a QB. I know this is the way the league goes. The next guy up resets the market. But it also drives me crazy. Similarly, it is insane to me that any QB in the league (outside of Burrow) is being paid more than Allen or Mahomes. 

Contract timing is everything sometimes.  Cap goes up and so do the next guys contracts.  

Edited 55 minutes ago by GASabresIUFan

[Mr. WEO]

5 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Hmm. I think two things on this....

 

1. Shakir's 2024 is about the median year for Courtland Sutton. Okay, at this stage that is a career year for Shakir and if it still looks that way halfway through this deal it will have been an overpay, but if he can consistently be in the 800 yard range (I think he can personally) it will look better. 

 

2. Courtland Sutton signed his deal halfway through the 2021 season. It is three and a half years old. The salary cap has rocketed by over 50% in that period. The Broncos and Sutton are in talks currently about extending him again. It won't be for anything close to $15m, he will get way more.

 

Cap is ever increasing--that's baked into all contract negotiations I would think.  Would Sutton get, say, 20 million per on his next contract?  I don't think so--it's still a ton for a WR2 type production. 

4 hours ago, Andrew Son said:

LOL!  You'll never give him up!

 

compare the 2, first 3 years.