Should the Buffalo Bills Panic About Keon Coleman's Rookie Season?

James Foster ranked Keon Coleman last among 2024 rookie receivers. He explores why the film shows Coleman is fighting an uphill battle to becoming an high-impact player.

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The Buffalo Bills took Keon Coleman with the first pick of the second round in the 2024 NFL draft, and his rookie season was a disappointment.

He had modest production, ranking seventh among 2024 rookies with 578 receiving yards. Coleman was much less impactful down the stretch, recording just three receptions for 22 yards in three playoff games.

His box score isn’t a reason to press the panic button after just one year, but his tape was extremely concerning. It’s a significant reason he finished last in my piece ranking the top rookie receivers from last season.

To establish himself as a starting-caliber receiver, he’ll need to dramatically transform his game and be used in a way that better complements his skill set.

Coleman himself concurs with my assessment, describing his rookie year as “trash” in a press conference from a few weeks ago. He seems to be self-aware of his abilities, both as a golfer and as a receiver, which is the first step to improvement.

Beyond the Box Score

Coleman’s raw stats were closer to mediocre than alarming. He had more regular-season receiving yards than Nico Collins, Rashod Bateman, Michael Pittman Jr. and Michael Gallup did in their rookie seasons, so there’s an established precedent of receivers with similar production emerging in Year 2 or 3.

But the advanced metrics are more aligned with the tape. They show a receiver who can’t beat press and separate from man coverage at an NFL-caliber level.