The Buffalo Bills are 6-2 and leading the AFC East by a big margin. In once again emerging as a Super Bowl contender, it is Josh Allen and the offense that has been soaring and a large part of that is the play of rookie receiver Keon Coleman.
Selected with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Coleman was brought in as a playmaker with much pressure placed on him. With the trade of Stefon Diggs, the Bills looked towards the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Florida State product as a key target for Allen. With the trade acquisition of Amari Cooper, the rookie has soared along with the Bills’ offense.
Suddenly, without all the pressure on him to be one of the top pass catchers, Coleman has settled in and has found more comfort in his role. With a 125-yard receiving performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7, following by five receptions for 70 yards in the Week 8 win over the Seattle Seahawks, Coleman is the clear winner of the Cooper trade simply due to the increased confidence of the rookie.
“We feel like every play we come out there and execute at a high level, I don’t think anybody really can stop us but ourselves,” Coleman said following the win against the Seahawks.
Keon Coleman coming into his own
Led by Allen, the Bills look and are performing like a complete offense that can beat teams in many ways. With the addition of Cooper, the emergence of Coleman and play of Khalik Shakir, they have the receivers. They have a ground attack led by James Cook and rookie running back Ray Davis who can take the pressure off Allen and a duo of tight ends in Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox who can be matchup nightmares for defenders. That’s the making of an explosive offense and Coleman’s growth within that offense is what is really standing out for Allen, who praised his rookie receiver.
“Absolutely , and that’s something, our staff has got him rolling,” Allen said. “Knows what he’s doing, and when he knows what he’s doing and gets rolling, he’s a damn good football player. He’s continuing to make plays for us, and you love to see that from your young guy. He’s only going to get better.”
That is the dangerous part of the Bills’ offense. Coleman will just continue to get better and impress teammates like Allen and fellow wide receiver Shakir who also had praise for the rookie by complementing his one-handed 2-yard touchdown reception from Allen in the Bills win over Seattle, stating it was a “big boy” play that showed off the chemistry and trust developing between Allen and Coleman.