In the NFL, it’s a business and sometimes choices are made that may not be the most popular but they are very necessary. That’s why we see trades happen, players being released, or sometimes a change in the starting lineup. It also applies to the final inactives before kickoff where a player is not injured but is a healthy scratch.
The Buffalo Bills have gone down that route of sending a message to their second-year wide receiver Keon Coleman, who is not expected to play today per Jordan Schultz. Schultz reported that it wasn’t because of performance, but that the team “wants to see more from him in other areas.”
Sources: #Bills WR Keon Coleman will not play today vs Tampa Bay in what was described to me as a coach’s decision (as @Cover1 also said).
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 16, 2025
I’m told it’s not performance-based — Coleman actually had a strong week of practice — but the team wants to see more from him in other… pic.twitter.com/AuwIUF8Jho
Instead of giving Coleman the chance to suit up, the Bills are expected to roll with guys like Gabe Davis and Mecole Hardman. Davis was elevated from the practice squad and Hardman was signed to the active roster this week.
Coleman has been struggling this season after his breakout Week 1 performance against the Baltimore Ravens and fans have had enough of him not producing. Against the Ravens, he had 8 catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. A lot of people thought that it was the start of Coleman becoming the No. 1 in Buffalo’s passing game.
Instead, Coleman has just two additional touchdowns on the year and has yet to record over 50 yards through the air. So while it may not allegedly be performance-based as to why Coleman is not expected to play, it should certainly be a factor.
Keon Coleman set to miss Week 11 vs. Buccaneers as healthy scratch
With Coleman set to miss this game, it sends him a message from the Bills that he needs to step up and truly show why Buffalo opted to draft him early in the second round last year. Buffalo brought him in because he has a high ceiling with winning those 50/50 catches, but we haven’t seen it much at all in his career.
He is not great at separation and it causes Josh Allen to have to look elsewhere to try and make a play.
To make matters worse for Coleman, Gabe Davis already has chemistry with Allen from when they played together from 2020-2023, and Davis had some very high moments with Allen. If Davis plays at a high level today against Tampa Bay, the coaching staff will have to make a serious consideration of potentially rolling with Davis and keeping Coleman out of the game plan if it’s best for the team.