The Buffalo Bills boasted one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL last season, which continued to be a problem heading into 2018.
That all could change very soon as the Bills reportedly made a trade with the Cleveland Browns for former first-round pick Corey Coleman.
The Browns drafted Coleman with the 15th-overall pick in the 2016 draft. The 2015 Biletnikoff Award winner–awarded annually to the nation’s top collegiate wide receiver–produced huge numbers his junior season, catching 74 passes for 1,363 yards and 20 scores.
His career in Cleveland never quite took off as expected due to hand injuries and woeful quarterback play. Yet, this move immediately injects much-needed talent into the Bills’ thinnest position.
Corey Coleman a Welcome Addition to a Thin Buffalo Bills Receiving Corps
Bills needed more talent at receiver
The Bills had one of the best receiving corps in the league just a few years ago with the likes of Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Marquise Goodwin and Chris Hogan. All four were gone at the onset of the 2017 season.
General manager Brandon Beane decided to overhaul the receiving corps in his first season. Beane signed former All-Pro receiver Anquan Boldin and traded Watkins to the Los Angeles Rams. He then made a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to secure the services of receiver Jordan Matthews.
All of these moves proved to be disastrous. Boldin retired before the season began, and Matthews was injured in his first training camp practice with the team. Matthews played sparingly in Buffalo and was not retained in the off-season.
Beane made one last-ditch effort to make his receiving corps viable in 2017 with the mid-season acquisition of Kelvin Benjamin.
Benjamin had been a productive receiver for the Carolina Panthers but had issues with injuries and staying in shape. His skill-set is based on his large size that could prove useful against smaller defensive backs. However, Benjamin lacks other receiving skills such as speed and route running to effectively be a true number one.
The lack of talent and depth at the position was not a top priority for the Bills this off-season, which left the team without a go-to option for rookie quarterback Josh Allen.
The rest of the group includes journeymen Jeremy Kerley and Rod Streater, as well as second-year man Zay Jones, who underwhelmed as a rookie.
Coleman needed a change of scenery
The Browns had high hopes for Coleman since his rookie year but never got a good return on their investment.
Coleman has had problems with injuries thus far, playing in only 19 NFL games in two seasons. The talented receiver broke a bone in his right hand two years in a row which hindered him reaching his potential.
He also had the misfortune of playing alongside terrible quarterbacks in Cleveland. The Browns traded Deshone Kizer after he threw an NFL-high 22 interceptions last year. Coleman also caught passes from three different signal-callers the year before.
Coleman made 56 receptions for 718 yards and five touchdowns in his two partial seasons with the Browns. The Browns amassed one victory in that two-year span.
The 24-year-old wideout suffered through a case of the drops and had a poor catch rate of 39.7 percent. A good NFL receiver is usually north of 50 percent. Hand injuries, poor quarterback play, and confidence levels are seemingly the culprits.
The Browns decided to cut their losses and dealt Coleman to the Bills, providing him with a fresh start.
Why it will work
Drafting Wyoming’s Allen to be the quarterback of the future in April, the Bills desperately needed to inject more talent into the receiving corps to help the rookie’s development.
The Bills receivers lacked speed and could not get open on a regular basis. It was found that they only gained an average of 2.47 yards of separation when their quarterback released the football. This ranked dead last in the NFL.
Average yards of separation for all WRs at the QB’s release this season #NextGenStats pic.twitter.com/vy8HNNBRbt
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) January 10, 2018
Allen also possesses a cannon for an arm and could use someone to stretch the field.
Coleman immediately gives the Bills more speed at receiver, being clocked at 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash at his pro day.
On film, Coleman gets nice separation and runs fine routes. He’s a good leaper and has the potential to be an explosive receiver comparative to Rams star Brandin Cooks.
He will need to work on his hands, but he has the tools to succeed in Buffalo.
Coleman has two years left on his rookie deal which allows the Bills to essentially give him a test run before they have to commit to anything. This also may prove to be an excellent chance for Coleman to live up to his draft status.
What we can expect
The Bills needed to take a chance on a talented receiver, and Coleman needed a change of scenery. This move could result in a match made by the football gods.
It also has the potential to not work out, but the Bills are getting a first-round talent at a position that they sorely need help at.
Coleman begins slightly behind schedule since he was not around during off-season activities and installation of the Bills offense, led by new coordinator Brian Daboll. Coleman will have to adjust to a new team and may not be a focal point right away. His talent level, however, will be difficult to ignore once he gets acclimated to the offense. Whoever the quarterback may be will automatically have an improved weapon in the offense.
This also can take significant pressure off of Benjamin to be the number-one receiver, who may be more suited to a number-two type role. That’s not to say Coleman will be a number one since he’s proven little thus far in his career, but the upside is there.
Kudos to the Bills front office for taking the chance. They realized that none of their quarterbacks can single-handedly take them to the postseason. If it doesn’t work out, they’ll need to explore more options at wide receiver, but nothing will really be lost on a guy due to make $1.5 million in base salary this year. If it does, the Bills got a bargain on a young, talented receiver that can become a top weapon of their prized stallion in Allen.
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