The Buffalo Bills have been searching for an answer at wide receiver for years. Two seasons into his NFL career, it's clear that Keon Coleman is not the answer.
The 2024 first-round draft pick came into the league with so much hype surrounding him. After the departure of Stefon Diggs, he was expected to come in and immediately take over the Bills' top receiver spot. But the results just haven't been there for the second-year pro. From a lack of production to a mid-season benching for disciplinary reasons, frustrations have been boiling over.
After an inconsistent performance in the biggest game of his young career, we may have seen the last of Coleman in a Bills uniform.
Keon Coleman's Bills career could be over after shaky performance in playoff loss
Coleman has had a turbulent season, to say the least. Despite earning more targets and more receptions than he did in his rookie year, his yardage dipped by over 150 yards. If not for an unbelievable amount of receiver injuries, he likely wouldn't have seen much of the field against the Denver Broncos.
With the depth chart as limited as it was heading into the Divisional Round, Coleman suddenly became a key player for Buffalo. He had the opportunity to save his career, but his up-and-down performance was disappointing.
While he did have a touchdown catch on a quick throw in the middle of the third quarter, Coleman was unable to step into a major role in the Bills' offense. He had three total targets, catching only the touchdown pass. He even dropped what should have been a big completion on a dead play. Khalil Shakir and Brandin Cooks took on the primary receiver jobs, relegating Coleman to a supplementary role.
One game shouldn't define the career of a young player, but Coleman has had multiple chances to establish himself as a reliable target. Especially if the Bills bring in a new wideout or two in the coming offseason, the 22-year-old could quickly find himself on the roster bubble this summer. At the end of the day, the Bills need to be able to field receivers they can trust, and Coleman hasn't done much to warrant that trust.
Hopefully, Coleman can make the progress necessary to earn the trust of both Josh Allen and the Bills' coaching staff quickly. If he fails to do so, his career in Buffalo may end sooner than anyone expected it to.