An offensive weapon’s injury may give running back James Cook more leverage in contract negotiations with the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo wide receiver Khalil Shakir could miss four to five weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain on Friday, via CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. This puts him at risk of missing Week 1. The Bills host the Baltimore Ravens in their season opener on Sept. 7 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
“[Shakir’s] dealt with one before. It’s gonna take some time — high ankles usually do,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott told the media Sunday.
Shakir, 25, played a pivotal role for a team that reached the AFC Championship game last season. The 2022 fifth-round pick led Buffalo in receptions (76 in 15 games) and receiving yards (821) in the regular season. No other Bill eclipsed 44 receptions and 556 receiving yards.
The Bills did little to upgrade their aerial attack this offseason. They waited until the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft to take a WR, Maryland’s Kaden Prather (pick No. 240). Buffalo also signed WR Joshua Palmer to a three-year, $29M deal in free agency. However, he never surpassed 769 receiving yards in four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.
If Shakir misses multiple games, the Bills must rely heavily on their ground attack in the early portion of the season. Cook made his second Pro Bowl in 2024 after tying for the league lead in rushing touchdowns (16 in 16 games).
Cook, entering the final year of his rookie contract, was participating in training camp but didn’t practice Sunday. Asked why, the 2022 second-round pick said “business” multiple times, via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg.
Cook, 25, has hinted he wants an extension worth $15M annually. That would tie him with Ravens RB Derrick Henry for the third-highest-paid player at his position. The Baltimore star, of course, is a future Hall of Famer. Still, the Bills clearly need the RB to keep their Super Bowl window open.
Buffalo lacks explosive playmakers, except for Cook and quarterback Josh Allen, the 2024 NFL MVP. While not season-ending, Shakir’s ankle problem highlights the roster hole.
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