Buffalo Bills WR Keon Coleman Receives Brutal 2026 Outlook

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman carries the ball against the New York Jets. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Buffalo Bills WR Keon Coleman Receives Brutal 2026 Outlook

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI | By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Jul 10, 2026 11:00 AM ET

After trading away Stefon Diggs ahead of the 2024 season, the Buffalo Bills turned to second-round pick Keon Coleman as their new potential No. 1 wide receiver. Coleman showed flashes as a rookie despite recording just 29 receptions, as he had an average of 19.2 yards per catch and four touchdowns.

That gave him some hope entering his second season, and he was a star throughout training camp. He even had a breakout performance in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, catching eight passes for 112 yards and one touchdown. After that, he failed to record more than 49 yards in a single game, and was benched for multiple outings.

This year, the coaching staff has been singing the same tune, saying that a big leap is expected for Coleman. First year head coach Joe Brady even said his hiring was great news for Coleman, which is hard to swallow considering Brady was the offensive coordinator the past two years when Coleman couldn't secure his position with the team.

Keon Coleman named a potential bust in Buffalo

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Throughout the offseason, there were rumors that Buffalo could move on from Coleman, especially after trading for DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears and selecting Skyler Bell in the fourth round. Bell was even named a potential camp star, something we recently dove into at Bills On SI.

Despite this, Brady continues to say they have plans for Coleman. Clearly, not everyone is buying that as Bleacher Report's Moe Moton identified Coleman as the team's primary candidate to be a bust in 2026. Moton discusses how the Bills' coaching staff is saying all the right things, but the way the roster has been built doesn't bode well for Coleman.

"In 2025, the Bills benched Coleman and listed him as a healthy inactive for multiple games. Clearly, they expect more from the 2024 second-rounder and still believe he can make a significant developmental leap, but it's unlikely to happen this year," Moton wrote.

"The Bills traded a second-round pick to the Chicago Bears for wideout DJ Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick. With that new addition, Coleman doesn't have a clear pathway to a big role in the passing attack. Moore, slot wideout Khalil Shakir and tight end Dalton Kincaid will probably see most of the targets, which leaves few opportunities for any other pass-catcher to make a significant impact."

The good news for Coleman is that he once again has been making waves during minicamp. Then again, that's been the case throughout every offseason, as he typically enters the year on a high trajectory. The only way he avoids actually living up to all these expectations of failure, however, is to finally deliver during the regular season when it matters.

This article first appeared on Buffalo Bills on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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