Having introduced Joe Brady officially as the new head coach, the Buffalo Bills can begin to turn their attention toward the rest of the offseason. There’s plenty of work to be done in crafting a defensive coaching staff and finding the players who will help the franchise get over the postseason hump.
Of course, plenty of those players are already on the roster, such as quarterback Josh Allen. But not all of Allen’s teammates have been given a public nod of approval in recent weeks, and obviously, I’m talking about Keon Coleman.
Even after a chaotic week and a half, it still doesn’t feel so long ago that owner Terry Pegula, in a strange attempt to defend Brandon Beane, threw the 23-year-old receiver under the bus.
In Allen’s first public appearance since the Divisional Round loss in Denver, he was asked about Coleman, and the quarterback didn’t flinch about his expectations for his young wideout.
Bills QB Josh Allen’s message cuts through the noise surrounding WR Keon Coleman
“He will come back from that. I’m not going to give up on 0. He’s got too much ability. I will not give up on him,” Allen said.
“We’re going to work tirelessly, him and me, as well as everyone else in this building, to make sure that whenever we step on the field, we’re going to find ways to win football games. And he’s going to be a part of that.”
For what it’s worth, according to reports from The Athletic, Coleman didn’t take the comments too hard himself. A source told The Athletic’s Tim Graham that he didn’t understand the comments, shook it off, and finished up his workout as he began preparing for Year 3.
So, it seems that Allen and Coleman are on the same page to let the comment fade with time and keep a focus on getting back to form in 2026. Head coach Joe Brady did too, talking with reporters again after his press conference, assuring faith in the young receiver.
"Keon Coleman is going to be on our football team," Brady said.
Coleman, of course, had a strong rookie season with the Bills, and after a highly productive opening night against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, Bills Mafia had high hopes for Coleman to emerge as the team’s No. 1 receiver. That didn’t happen, as Coleman never got close to matching his 8-catch, 112-yard performance for the remainder of the season.
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Still, while Coleman’s sophomore season in the NFL was a disappointment, with the benchings and lackluster statistics, he did match some of his rookie stats. He caught 38 of the 59 targets he received, much better than the 29 of 57 he posted in his rookie season. He had one fewer drop, too. While he fell short of his rookie yardage mark by nearly 100 yards, he matched his touchdown totals and picked up more first downs.
There’s something to build from there, especially after Coleman had two relatively big plays in the postseason for the Bills' offense despite not seeing many targets. The 2026 season is a continuation of the same efforts for the franchise, but it’s still a clean slate for players such as Coleman to come back and rewrite the narrative.