The Buffalo Bills selected Keon Coleman with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, expecting the 6-foot-4 Florida State product to become the outside weapon Josh Allen had been missing.
Two seasons later, Coleman has tallied just 67 catches for 960 yards and 8 touchdowns across 26 games. Under former head coach Sean McDermott, he fell out of favor during a 2025 campaign defined by benchings and discipline issues. Now, with Joe Brady running the show, general manager Brandon Beane sees an opportunity for a reset.
Brandon Beane Shows Faith in Keon Coleman
Coleman’s second season was supposed to be the breakout year, and he flashed that potential immediately, catching 8 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown in the Week 1 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Unfortunately, after that, Coleman was benched for being late to a team meeting, scratched the following week, and sat out two more games down the stretch.
He finished 2025 with 38 catches for 404 yards and 4 touchdowns across 13 appearances. According to PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, Coleman finished the season with an impact score of 71.3, ranking 75th at his position.
The situation reached its lowest point in January, when Bills owner Terry Pegula publicly distanced the front office from Coleman’s selection, telling reporters that the coaching staff had pushed for the pick and that Beane had a different player in mind.
In an exclusive interview with Tyler Dunne, the Bills’ general manager talked about how Coleman has handled everything so far in his career.
“I know it wasn’t good enough in the past,” Beane said. “And it wasn’t good enough on the field. Off the field led to lack of opportunities and production on the field. And so I see a guy who knows what’s at stake, who wants the respect and trust of his teammates and his coaches. And the fans. He wants that. He’s a human. He doesn’t want to be hearing about himself on social media or the media. I see a guy who’s driven and is out to prove something. We want to help him do that.”
Beane then talked about how Coleman trained with former Bills wideout Stevie Johnson last offseason, and how it helped him.
“I just feel like the look is there and it’s never been his lack of willing to work,” Beane continued. “It’s not. That’s never been an issue. He worked last offseason. He refocused this offseason. He got through the mess of what the outside distractions were and he decided that he’s going to control what he can control. And you sense a young man growing up and maturing and that’s why you don’t want to trade a guy like that. We’re big into developing young men and watching him grow.”
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“I’m proud of Keon with where he’s at,” Beane added. “He’s not making excuses. He’s just head down and doing his job and I’m rooting for him and I want to see him succeed. He still has to go do it.”
The Bills’ acquisition of DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears could quietly benefit Coleman as much as anyone. With Moore commanding attention on the outside and Khalil Shakir thriving in the slot, Coleman should face softer coverage, and the pressure to be the main target for Allen is off his shoulders.
Allen hasn’t wavered on Coleman either, as after Pegula’s comments in January, the former NFL MVP told reporters he wouldn’t abandon his young teammate. Coleman has two years remaining on his rookie contract, which means 2026 doubles as both a prove-it year and an audition for a potential extension.
As we approach the 2026 season, the Bills won’t need Coleman to be a superstar receiver anymore; they just need him to be reliable, and his general manager has faith in him.
