Slot WR battle: A three dog race

The Bills have three suitable options at the slot receiver position: Jamison Crowder, Isaiah McKenzie, and Khalil Shakir

These three are all fighting for the starting slot receiver spot in the Buffalo Bills offense for the upcoming season. It’s a great problem for the Bills to have, and WR coach Chad Hall considers the Bills “blessed” to be in this position. The question is, who will standout among the group throughout the preseason to claim the starting role?

Rookie Khalil Shakir was heavily involved in the Boise State Broncos’ offense both on the outside and the inside, as he had 317 targets, 71 carries, and 31 kick/punt returns in his four-year career. Statistically, he was a monster in those four years, bringing in 208 catches with 2,878 yards and 20 touchdowns in the receiving game, and as a weapon out of the backfield, he ran for 414 yards and 4 touchdowns.

With hands as soft as a pillow, feet as quick as the roadrunner, and an IQ off the charts for a rookie, Shakir is proving to be a standout amongst the weapons at Josh Allen’s arsenal, and if he continues to be reliable and make plays, he could earn his way to a starting slot job sooner rather than later. But, there’s a couple veterans in his way.

In free agency, the Bills looked to fill the hole that was left from cutting WR Cole Beasley. They looked within their own division and signed the former New York Jet WR Jamison Crowder. A wide receiver with experience in the AFC East Division was a welcomed signing for the Bills and many penciled him in as the Beasley replacement right off the bat.

Crowder is a veteran receiver going into his 8th season in the league. In the past 7 seasons, both with the formerly-known Washington Redskins and the New York Jets, Crowder has brought in 409 catches for 4,607 yards and 28 touchdowns. These numbers are astonishing considering the quarterback play he had to endure through his first seven years in the league. To name a few of those quarterbacks he dealt with, the list includes: Kirk Cousins, Alex Smith, Mark Sanchez, Colt McCoy, Joe Flacco, Sam Darnold, Trevor Siemian, Mike White, and Zach Wilson. Putting up those stats with either average or horrible QB play is quite impressive, and one can only wonder what he might be able to do in a complete 17-game season if healthy under Josh Allen’s leadership.

Unfortunately, his health has already become a factor in his time with the Bills. He missed a handful of days at the beginning of camp with “soreness”, and his absence led to a bigger opportunity for Isaiah McKenzie to get reps with the first team in the slot. However, he is back participating in camp now, and McKenzie and Shakir have missed the last couple of days with soreness of their own. So, it took Crowder a while to get first-team reps, but he was able to do so 11 days into camp, and he’s finally starting to work on a rapport with Allen.

According to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, on day 12 of camp on Monday, “Crowder took full advantage (of McKenzie being sidelined), drawing an enthusiastic response from teammates by getting the defender to bite on a fake on his first two one-on-one reps. Then in team drills, he brought in a pair of catches on a handful of targets.”

But, Crowder has to fend off Isaiah McKenzie, who has been burning up training camp and proving himself to deserve a bigger role in the offense. He’s been with the Bills since 2018 and in those seasons he has brought in 95 catches for 893 yards with 7 touchdowns. Take a look at how WR coach Chad Hall describes McKenzie’s evolution as a player, and also speaks on the way McKenzie and Crowder are feeding off of each other:

While we all remember the breakout game that McKenzie had last season in Week 16 against the New England Patriots (11 receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown), he has worked hard to be more than just a flash in the pan or just a nifty weapon to be used in spurts. McKenzie has also become a vocal leader and motivator in the locker room, and someone that teammates can trust. Lil’ Dirty is definitely becoming more than just a fan favorite, but also possibly one of Josh Allen’s favorite receivers. This has earned him the first-team slot receiver position, at least on the Bills’ first depth chart of the year:

Slot Battle Prediction:

In my honest opinion, and overall prediction, I see this being a training camp and preseason battle that won’t be decided until the final week of preseason. Once Crowder was signed, it felt that he was the obvious choice to be the starting slot receiver to replace Beasley. However, with his injury and the improvement from McKenzie, and a hot start at camp from Shakir, Crowder’s job might be in jeopardy to some.

I am not one of those people. I view Crowder as the true starting slot receiver for the Bills, and I won’t let eight days of being hurt turn me away from that truth. McKenzie will still have a role in the offense and Shakir will likely be the long-term slot receiver, but I truly believe that in Week 1 vs. the Los Angeles Rams, Jamison Crowder will serve as the starting slot receiver. He has the experience and ability to be a reliable weapon for Allen and the offense.

What do you think, Bills Mafia?