Bills rookie receiver Keon Coleman was selected in the 2024 NFL Draft as one of the Bills’ first high-profile moves following the departures of their top two targets in the passing game that offseason.

This year, as a new offseason begins, he’ll have some work to do to develop ahead of his second professional campaign to rise closer to the potential for which he was drafted.

Coleman had a notable dip in his production in the final stretch of Buffalo’s season, though in Joe Brady’s offense, his targets could be more situational and less frequent.

Making the need for making a play when the ball is thrown his way all the more important.

During his end-of-season press conference, GM Brandon Beane noted a Week 9 wrist injury as a potential point where that shift took place.

“I would say probably was a little disappointed in the return from the injury,” he said about Coleman’s final six games. “I did not see the same player down the stretch from a physicality, some of the things that he needs to use his size.”

“He was really starting to get it,” head coach Sean McDermott added. “And then he had the injury, he didn’t play his best down the stretch and some of it was due to coming off the injury but it is something he can learn from and improve on moving forward.”

That injury was sustained in Week 9 against the Miami Dolphins when safety Jordan Poyer made helmet contact with the 21-year-old Coleman’s hand, which caused him to miss four games.

Amidst the well-dispersed and spread-out Joe Brady offense, the Bills still don’t have a clear No. 1 receiving option for big moments, which showed at times down the stretch.
For example, when the offense failed to convert a fourth-and-5 against Kansas City in the AFC Championship game.
They did add WR Amari Cooper, who could re-sign with the team as he fits as a high-caliber receiver, and with the Bills’ culture, but who also dealt with injury late in the season.
Regardless, Buffalo will look to high-draft selections such as Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid to take the next steps to put in the work in their offseason in the hope they’ll see a step forward in their development as well.
Beane said as much about both members of the Bills’ offense during his media session while reminding the press that Coleman is still a younger player, and showed some promise in his first season with the club.
“He’s a young player, we got to remember,” Beane said. “And some of the guys that get drafted in the first round are 24 or 25. So let’s give him a little grace here. His career will not be defined by one season, and he did some good things. … He’s going to have to work very hard this offseason, him and Josh continue to work on that rapport together. But I’m optimistic that he’ll do those things and that we’ll see him continue to improve going into year two.”