The Buffalo Bills clearly saw this year’s playoffs as a golden opportunity. With three of the best quarterbacks in the AFC, including their perennial albatross, Patrick Mahomes, out of the postseason, there was a legitimate chance for the team to go on a deep run and potentially make the Super Bowl for the first time since the early 1990s.
However, it didn’t come to fruition, with a Josh Allen meltdown leading to a loss in the Divisional Round. Now, the team is trying to regroup in the offseason, and many believe roster tweaks are a necessity to get things back on track. For one analyst, that list begins with replacing Keon Coleman.
The Bills Have Made it Clear That Keon Coleman isn’t Staying
The hope from media, analysts, and even within the locker room itself was that Coleman could become that superstar wide receiver that the offense needed. However, the reality was about as far as that aspiration could be.
Being forced to sit out multiple times, his attitude didn’t align with his teammates or the coaching staff, and his numbers (404 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns in 13 games) remained largely unimpressive.
As a result, after the Sean McDermott firing, owner Terry Pegula publicly voiced his displeasure with Coleman. Simply put, it seems inevitable that Buffalo will move on from him. However, according to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, that transition might give them a double bonus.
Breaking down the NFL offseason with trade proposals that could benefit both teams, his blockbuster move for the Bills involved the playoff opponent they beat this season. With Coleman clearly expendable, Barnwell believed they could package with him a first-round pick to entice the Jaguars to part ways with Brian Thomas Jr.
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After struggling in the first year under head coach Liam Coen, and as part of a wide receiver room that already includes Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Travis Hunter, there is a possibility that Jacksonville moves on from him.
A spectacular rookie season saw him finish at number 4 on PFSN’s WR Impact, a number that fell all the way to 71 this season. However, the upside remains, and it could come to life in a new system with the Bills.
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“The Bills, on the other hand, desperately need an ‘X’ receiver who can separate from man coverage and make plays at all three levels,” Barnwell explained. “Thomas would immediately step in as Josh Allen’s No. 1 receiver. For a team that’s $10 million over the projected cap before making adjustments this offseason, Thomas’ contract is a bargain for the next few years.”
On the Jaguars’ side of the bracket, the simple explanation is the overabundance of talent in the wide receiver room and the lack of a first-round pick, which could entice general manager James Gladstone to make a major move.
