While he’s not the oldest guy in the room, the third-year receiver is the longest-tenured Bills receiver
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir has found himself as the team veteran in the wide receiver room this offseason, and he’s embracing the role.
“This year the receiver room obviously is completely different,” Shakir, who may not be the oldest receiver in the room but is definitely the longest-tenured Bill, told media after OTAs on Tuesday. “But, I mean, everybody vibes.”
When asked about how the changes are going to affect the offense, Shakir, who is in his third season in the NFL — all of which have been in Buffalo, said that it’s all about communication.
“I’m trying to help as much as I can so we can all get on the same page,” he said. “The communication part is just pretty cool.”
When asked if he was willing to increase his load of targets in this new offense, as is the team culture, he said that he’s willing to do whatever is asked of him.
“Yeah, of course. If those come my way,” he said. “I’ve always been a guy that’s just ‘do my job, do what I’m supposed to do the correct way.’ So, if I got to go in there and block 50 times, then I’m going (in) there and block(ing) 50 times. If I gotta go in there and run a route, run a go round, run off 50 times, I’m gonna do it. I’m a huge believer in what goes around comes around.”
When asked about the team’s offensive coordinator and if the approach to this season is different than in the past, Shakir said that the approach is exactly what he would have expected from Joe Brady who is in his first full season at the offensive helm.
“He brings a lot of energy, but he was doing that when he took over last year as well,” Shakir said about Brady. “The preparation and the approach that we’re all doing is the same thing.”
He went on to say now that Brady is “leading the show” he’s working to make sure that the team is working together and on the same page.
“It was great when he took over [in Week 11 of last season] and I think we are just building on top of that,” Shakir said. “Yards after catch is always an emphasis, it was last year too, We aren’t in pads right now, but it’s just a mentality of when you catch the ball, working up field whether the guy tagged off on you right away or not. It’s just putting in your brain that when you catch the ball, you’re gonna make a move.”
Shakir said that the one change is the lack of urgency to get one player a specific number of touches.
“When you have a guy like Steph, obviously he’s one of the best receivers in the league,” Shakir addressed the elephant in the room — whether Stefon Diggs needing the ball was a problem. “So yea, it’s like, let’s try and give him the ball. But I think there’s a certain point where it has to all work together. If we’re spreading the ball around right, then that gets him open and that gets me open and that gets somebody else open. I wouldn’t say it was ever like ‘we need to get him the ball.’”
Shakir talked again about doing the job that is asked, whether running a route to clear for your teammate or blocking or continuing to work to get open to help out the quarterback who may be under pressure.
“If you gotta sit there and run a route 50 times, do it full speed 50 times. You know that 51st time it might be you running that out and somebody else is clearing the ball for you,” Shakir then dropped the new offensive tagline, “In this offense, everybody eats.”