Orchard Park — Keon Coleman enters what he has called a “make-or-break” season after two NFL campaigns that did not unfold as planned. The Bills selected the 23-year-old receiver with the No. 33 pick in 2024, and his early career has been punctuated by a right wrist injury and instances of tardiness that affected his rookie year.
Coleman opened last season with a standout performance against the Baltimore Ravens, hauling in eight catches for 112 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, but he did not again eclipse 50 receiving yards in any game. In November he was late to a team meeting, which led to discipline as a healthy scratch for one game and, combined with his placement on the depth chart, resulted in three additional games sitting out.
Bills owner Terry Pegula said in January that drafting Coleman was something the coaching staff advocated for, a comment that helped fuel trade speculation this offseason. The organization has, however, publicly backed Coleman. Coach Joe Brady called Coleman’s offseason “outstanding” and, at Buffalo’s mandatory minicamp in June, said the receiver is “in a really good place,” adding that “you feel him coming off the football, you feel the stride, you feel his size” while stressing the need for consistency and professional habits.
Coleman has worked to prepare for 2026 in multiple ways, including developing a relationship with former Bills receiver Stevie Johnson. Johnson connected with Coleman after contacting the receiver’s agent, Paul DeRousselle, and they met at the University of San Diego before organized team activities began in May. Johnson told ESPN he initially expected immaturity but was surprised by Coleman’s focus and willingness to learn, saying Coleman was “locked in, wanting to learn things, open to the constructive criticism.”
Johnson has provided perspective on the physical side of playing receiver and encouraged Coleman to use his natural abilities, including leveraging his 6-foot-3, 213-pound frame to be imposing when running routes. Coleman has said he does not let outside criticism affect him and that his job is to “put my cleats on, strap them up and prove my worth here,” as he looks to build on his offseason work under a new coaching staff.
