For what seems like awhile now, the Buffalo Bills have had a wide receiver problem. However, it’s just being shined on this season with the lack of help for Josh Allen on the outside. When the Bills decided to trade Stefon Diggs last offseason, and also let Gabe Davis walk for just a year, Buffalo’s wide receiver room wasn’t a threat on paper. Yet last season was an outlier because of how great Allen was.
This season though, is a different story and not for the better. There has been a mixture of injuries and inconsistency from this group and quite frankly, it’s holding the Bills back. After Brandon Beane made his feelings clear on how he felt about the Bills not drafting a wideout early on in the draft, he still tried to make an improvement by attempting to trade for Dolphins’ wideout Jaylen Waddle.
A trade was never made, so now the Bills are stuck with who they have and that isn’t much. However, Khalil Shakir has still been a solid option for this Buffalo offense despite not being utilized properly. At the same time, the fact that he is Buffalo's best option on the outside shows that the Bills have major work to do next offseason.
Recent WR ranking shows Bills must address position in offseason
Lauren Gray from Pro Football Focus (PFF) has Shakir as the 26th best wide receiver (subscription required) going into Week 11 and that should be alarming for Bills fans. Here’s a bit on what Gray mentioned in regards to Shakir:
"The 25-year-old third-year receiver now has 45 catches for 457 yards and 11 explosive gains. He remains strong in the slot, where he has 27 receptions for 226 yards and a touchdown. He has gained 12 first downs, forced six missed tackles and has a 77.1 slot receiving grade."Lauren Gray, PFF
The fact that he is the first (and only) Bills receiver on this list is extremely concerning. When you have a superstar quarterback like Josh Allen and there isn’t atleast an average wideout who can be a consistent threat against defenses, it’s a big problem.
Buffalo had the chance to draft a wideout early on in the draft and they chose not to. While they did sign Joshua Palmer and Elijah Moore in free agency, they haven’t been helpful at all. Despite the greatness of Allen under center, he can only do so much and he needs that help on the outside.
So, unless someone like Shakir or Keon Coleman steps up for the rest of the season, fans should be yelling at the front office of the Bills to bring in a true No. 1 option on the outside.