Keon Coleman is entering a make-or-break season that will determine the future of his career. However, while he’s currently a member of the Buffalo Bills, he may have to prove himself with another organization. Selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the 6′-4″, 215-pound wide receiver out of Florida State was supposed to be the next great weapon for Josh Allen. When selected, Buffalo believed Coleman’s size and physical build would make him one of the game’s better contested catch specialists and downfield threats.
Sadly, that hasn’t translated to the professional level. While Keon Coleman had his moments as a rookie, he had a disastrous sophomore season that put his NFL future in jeopardy. Appearing in 13 games while making six starts, the wideout finished the season with just 38 receptions for 404 yards and four touchdowns on 59 targets despite having no real threat for targets or playing time on the team. Following the season, owner Terry Pegula actively threw the former coaching staff under the bus for drafting Coleman, which is not something you normally see when a player is still on the roster.
Since the end of the season, the Bills have acquired wide receiver D.J. Moore from the Chicago Bears and used a fourth-round pick on UConn wide receiver Skyler Bell. While Keon Coleman could still win a spot on the roster with a strong camp, there’s a decent chance the Bills trade him before the start of the upcoming season.
Bills Could Trade Keon Coleman Ahead of Week 1
Let’s start with the obvious: nobody will give up anything close to a second-round pick for Keon Coleman. While he entered the league with a decent amount of buzz, the last two seasons have been hard to ignore. While he’s had some decent moments, the overall body of work leaves a lot to be desired. Somebody would likely send a conditional late-round pick for his services (the Patriots got a seventh-round pick for N’Keal Harry, after all), but that’s about it.
If the Bills truly have no long-term hope for Keon Coleman, they’ll probably trade him for whatever they can get. However, he’s entering his third season and still has two more years of team control before reaching free agency. If the coaching staff believes he can turn it around and become a helpful role player, then they should keep him. Maybe he won’t ever justify his second-round draft capital, but the Bills are chasing a Super Bowl and could use a WR3 or WR4 more than a late-round dart throw.
For what it’s worth, the Buffalo Bills reportedly turned down trade offers for Keon Coleman earlier in the offseason. Perhaps this was a way to try and get a better offer, but it stands to reason that if the team wanted to trade him, they would have done it before or during the 2026 NFL Draft. Buffalo’s wide receiver room is better now than it was a season ago, but it’s still not a team strength. Losing someone who could contribute in 2026 for a draft pick that definitely won’t help out would be a bit of a questionable strategy.
Chances are, the Buffalo Bills are going to let Keon Coleman fight for his spot on the roster. If he shows signs of life, he could start the year as the WR3 behind Moore and established slot receiver Khalil Shakir. However, if he can’t beat out guys like Joshua Palmer, Tyrell Shavers, and Mecole Hardman, then the Bills will probably trade the wide receiver for whatever they can get near the end of the preseason.
