The Buffalo Bills are depending on wide receiver Keon Coleman to take a big step and become the No. 1 target in the passing attack this coming season.
By all accounts, Coleman has made big strides in the offseason, with praise coming from quarterback Josh Allen, offensive coordinator Joe Brady and head coach Sean McDermott.
On Wednesday, Brady pointed out the major differences he sees from Coleman this year as opposed to his first offseas on in the NFL. He also noted one thing that has been "fun to watch."
"I probably use the word too much... he's been so intentional about what he's working on," he said of Coleman. "It's not always going to be pretty, but we're working through it and you can see him coming back and talking through it with Josh and the communication skills.
"Last year, he's a rookie, probably scared to death of the starting quarterback, of talking," Brady added. "Now he feels comfortable telling Josh it was a bad throw, so he's on that comfort level.
"But I think he's so intentional about when he's going out there, what he's working on. Yeah, he's being more physical, yeah, he's understanding his release game and how he needs to play, but to me, the intentionality that he's going out with practice has been really fun to watch," Brady concluded.
Coleman taking that next step is one of the most important things for the Bills this year, as Allen doesn't have a true No. 1 target on the roster currently.
Khalil Shakir is a fine wide receiver, but he's better suited as the No. 2, and Joshua Palmer has never been more than a complementary piece.
Barring Coleman playing in the preseason finale on Saturday, we'll get our next look at him in live-game action in the regular season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 7.
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