There is less than two weeks until the Buffalo Bills kick off their season, and their offense should be at full force in time for their duel against the Baltimore Ravens.
Wide receiver Khalil Shakir discussed his high-ankle sprain that cost him four weeks of training camp and said he expects to be ready to play in Week 1 on Sunday Night Football.
Shakir did not practice, nor did he participate in any of Buffalo’s three preseason games. Yet, that does not necessarily make him unique, since quarterback Josh Allen, running back James Cook and fellow wideout Keon Coleman all did not take a game rep in the preseason this year.
Shakir had 76 catches for 821 yards and four touchdowns for the Bills in 2024.
What Did Khalil Shakir Say About His Week 1 Status?
Shakir was practicing about a month after sustaining the injury, which is promising since a high-ankle sprain is arguably the most treacherous non-season-ending injury for fans to hear.
Yet, Shakir went through the work to get back on the field. He was excited and feeling great.
“It felt great. Obviously, there was a plan put in place from the moment it happened,” said Shakir. “I mean even just today, doing routes on air, it was right back to where we were. There was no missteps or anything like that.
“It felt good to be back out there running around and catching the ball from [Allen].”
Shakir sustained a similar injury in 2024, which cost him Buffalo’s Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans last year. But the Bills’ No. 1 wideout lost his entire preseason with the ankle injury.
“The same exact thing happened last year, Baltimore, whatever week that was,” Shakir said, referencing Buffalo’s 35-10 loss to the Ravens in Week 4. “Same exact thing and timeline was a lot faster. It just kind of depends.”
What Did Khalil Shakir Say About The Bills Wide Receivers?
The Bills wide-receiver corps has been a heavily discussed topic during camp. With Shakir’s ankle injury, along with question marks like Curtis Samuel and Tyrell Shavers on the roster, there have been myriad rumors about Buffalo signing or acquiring a new wideout.
But Shakir is confident in the six receivers the Bills have on their roster.
“As a group we all jell pretty well,” Shakir said of the receiving corps. “It’s great. It’s a great room. I’m super happy to be around those guys every day. They push me, and day by day we just get closer and closer and better and better.”
With Allen, the reigning NFL MVP, and a loaded roster that has won the AFC East five straight years, Buffalo has Super Bowl-or-bust expectations. That means the heat is on the Bills offense, and especially their pass catchers, since they are the perceived weak link.
Yet, Shakir is not worried about the outside noise and is focusing on the process instead.
“We’re not really worried about what other people think,” Shakir said. “We’re worried about what we do as a team and sticking to what we do best.
“We’re really focused on each other and what we can do each and every day.”
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