BREAKING NEWS coming out of Buffalo, New York this morning as the Buffalo Bills agreed to a four-year contract extension with wide receiver Khalil Shakir, first reported by Adam Schefter. Shakir is coming off a career-high season for the Bills where he led the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards. The fifth-round draft pick from the 2022 NFL Draft has emerged as one of, if not the favorite receiver for 2024 MVP Josh Allen after the Bills traded Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans in the offseason last summer.
Bills and wide receiver Khalil Shakir reached agreement today on a four-year contract extension worth up to $60.2 million, including $32 million guaranteed at signing with $18 million paid in the first 12 months. The deal ties him to Buffalo through the 2029 season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 25, 2025
Deal was… pic.twitter.com/lTqGy1T5aJ
Shakir’s contract is sizable for such a late-round pick; four-years, $60.2 million with $32 million guaranteed at signing with $18 million of this $32 million being paid in the first 12 months of the contract. The wide receiver earned this extension through his career-season; tallying 76 receptions off 100 targets, 821 receiving yards, four touchdowns, and averaging 10.8 yards per catch.
Here to stay!!
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) February 25, 2025
Khalil Shakir has agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension through 2029.#GoBills | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/RmVhpUE9vh
This extension provides some stability for a receiver room that was surrounded by doubt and uncertainty leading into the 2024/25 season. Shakir showed signs of becoming Allen’s favorite target in 2023/24 but many seemed to be unsure if Shakir could be that number one option for the MVP. Shakir provided sure hands in the slot for the Bills and did not shy away from making plays throughout the season in what helped the Bills reach their first AFC Championship since 2021. Shakir hauled in six catches on seven targets for 46 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 32-29 loss but Shakir is only expected to improve going into year four.
The biggest question surrounding the Bills receiver room now will be what Buffalo does with Amari Cooper as well as if Keon Coleman will continue to improve in 2025. The Bills traded for Cooper in the middle of the season, who was in the final year of his contract and is now set to become a Free Agent this offseason. With the Bills, Cooper played in eight games, logging 20 receptions on 32 targets for 297 yards and two touchdowns. Cooper’s next contract, whether it is with the Bills or someone else, should be a sizable contract for the nine-year veteran and makes me wonder if Buffalo will even consider resigning him.
Keon Coleman, the 33rd pick of the 2024 NFL Draft had a serviceable start to his NFL career finishing the regular season with; 29 catches on 57 targets for 556 yards and four touchdowns. Coleman was an electric and physical wide receiver at Florida State University and showed signs of his explosiveness during his rookie season. While Coleman has nothing but upside, it will be interesting to see if the Bills try to add some sort of veteran presence to their wide receiver room, whether that be resigning Cooper or targeting someone like Cooper Kupp or shoot for the stars and try to land Tee Higgins. If Coleman can continue to make leaps and bounds in his development, the Bills might be setup for success in the future but as of right now the Bills need to surround Josh Allen with more weapons if they want any chance of getting over the proverbial “hump” in beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs.
