Bills poised to unlock explosive new dimension in offense after Joe Brady hints at major shift for 2026
Let Khalil Shakir cook.
The Buffalo Bills need to get more out of wide receiver Khalil Shakir. Shakir was undoubtedly the best weapon they had on the field, from a wide receiver perspective, and they need to get more out of him in 2026. Shakir finished his 2025 season with 72 receptions for 719 yards and four touchdowns.
Watching the Bills play, the one thing that kept coming to mind was why the team wasn’t using Shakir in the intermediate to deep areas of the field. Moreso the intermediate portion, but still.
Joe Brady wants to unlock a whole new level to Khalil Shakir’s game
Far too often, it felt like anytime Shakir had the ball, it was due to a screen pass, not marching down the field and securing a catch 10-15 yards down the field. It was infuriating at times.
That’s not to say that Shakir wasn’t exceptional with screen passes, he’s the type of player that could take any one of them to the house for a touchdown. But still, the team needs to utilize him more all around the field, not just in the short passing game.
New head coach Joe Brady was speaking to the media at the NFL Combine, where the topic of Shakir came up, and his response has me excited for the 2026 version of the Buffalo Bills offense.
“No different from Khalil than anyone else, right? As we put together this roster, just finding different ways to utilize the guys where it’s not the same year in and year out,” Brady said. “I think Khalil can play inside and outside, right? There’s really not a lot of things Khalil can’t do. As we watch cutups, and as we go through things and put it all together, there’s definitely ways to get the ball in his hands in different ways. We have to continue to grow his game because he’s such a huge component to our offense. He’s one of our best football players, and when the ball’s in his hands, good things happen. And it doesn’t necessarily always have to be in the short range, if you know what I know.”
Get Khalil Shakir the ball outside of screens in 2026, please
As Erik Turner from Cover One reported, since Shakir entered the league, he has just seven receptions on 20 targets on throws of 10+ air yards when lined out wide, registering 173 receiving yards. Turner believes one way they can improve is to start incorporating a vertical speed element in the slot. Someone who can lift the coverages so Shakir can do the dirty work in the intermediate areas.
Make no mistake, the Bills aren’t moving away from the screen pass entirely as Brady alluded to during his introductory press conference.
“It’s going to be a part of our offense next year, and we’ve done a really good job of screens the last two years,” Brady said.
Still, the team needs to find a way to get their playmakers the football in other areas outside of just screen passes, especially Shakir. Brady’s comments have me excited about the future. We all know what Shakir can do; we just need to see more of him outside of simple screens.
If Brady follows through on what he’s hinting at, this offense could look much different in 2026. Shakir isn’t just a gadget player; he’s a legitimate weapon who can win at every level of the field. The numbers prove he just hasn’t been featured vertically enough, and the eye test backs it up.
With a full offseason to reshape the scheme, Brady has a chance to unlock another level of Shakir’s game, and in turn, make life easier for quarterback Josh Allen. If the Bills truly want to get over the hump, it starts with maximizing the guys who already proven they can make plays.
When No. 10 has the ball in space, whether it’s five yards downfield or 15, good things tend to follow.
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