Former All-Pro WR says Bills have put rookie Keon Coleman in ‘an unfair spot’
A former NFL superstar feels as though the Buffalo Bills are playing rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman out of position.
Kyle Silagyi | 31 Minutes Ago
In this story:
Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
In this story:
Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings
The Buffalo Bills’ offense has sputtered after getting off to an immensely productive start to the 2024 season, totaling only 30 points over the past two games after averaging over 30 points per outing in their first three contests. Buffalo’s offensive woes have been underscored by the production (or lack thereof) of its receiving corps, as the makeshift unit—which was widely questioned entering the campaign—has been underwhelming as of late; the team’s wide receivers caught just four total passes in their Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans, this on 18 targets.
And though rookie pass-catcher Keon Coleman has by no means been the position group’s most significant problem through five games (actually showing immense promise alongside expected first-year mistakes), his stat line isn’t necessarily gaudy; he’s currently second on the Bills in receiving yards with 175 and fourth in receptions with nine, his two receiving touchdowns tied with Khalil Shakir for the team lead. He’s currently first among Buffalo wideouts in snaps with 187, with all but 10 of these snaps, per PFF, coming out wide.
Related: This one play encapsulates Bills CB Christian Benford’s stellar start to 2024 season
A former All-Pro wideout feels as though Buffalo could be getting more out of Coleman if it deployed the rookie from a different alignment, even going as far as to imply the team is not positioning him for success by playing him as an X wide receiver. During a recent episode of Underdog Fantasy’s 89, long-time Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith stated that the Bills should start deploying Coleman from the slot, feeling as though it’s his most natural position at the professional level.
“Yes, [defenses] have [figured out the Buffalo offense],” Smith said. “They say, ‘Hey, these guys don’t have any wide receivers on the outside that we fear. Their young rookie receiver, Keon Coleman, he’s a heck of a football player. I believe that they have put him out of position. Give him a mismatch against a smaller DB. When he was playing against Jalen Ramsey against Miami, they won that game, but he was getting clamped down.
“If you put this young man in the slot against bigger linebackers that are not as fast as him in that short area, you give him a chance to really impact the game. Putting him outside at X wide receiver, stationary stand, no motion, saying ‘Our guy can beat your guy,’ man, he’s not going to do it. Not consistently. It’s an unfair spot you’re putting a rookie into because they don’t have a fix.”
As a five-time Pro Bowler and one of the better wideouts of his era, Smith’s opinion regarding the wide receiver position should be listened to. That said, it’s not as though playing on the outside is a wholly new experience for Coleman; in fact, the overwhelming majority of his collegiate snaps came out wide, and he didn’t start seeing significant snaps in the slot until midway through his final collegiate season (this while still logging a bevy of reps on the outside). He only saw more snaps from the slot than the outside in one game throughout his entire collegiate career.
Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Coleman did find some success in the slot at Florida State, but it’s not as though the Bills are throwing him to the wolves out wide. It would perhaps be advantageous for Buffalo to give him a few reps from the slot, but the team drafted him with the intention to develop the 21-year-old as its long-term X wide receiver; to make sweeping changes to his development plan after five (not even poor) games would be unwise.
The Bills understood that Coleman was raw coming out of college. They understood that he, and thus, the team, would experience growing pains. Both parties are taking their lumps right now, but with those lumps come flashes of promise, namely Coleman’s impressive 49-yard touchdown in Week 5; he’s not a world-beater right now, but Buffalo never expected he would be as a rookie. Exposing the occasional mismatch by deploying Coleman from the slot wouldn’t be a bad idea, but to abandon a plan after a small-and-not-terrible sample size would be rash.
— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —
More Buffalo Bills News:
5 WRs (not named Davante Adams) Bills should target to help passing game
Bills should pursue overlooked Texans WR amid receiving corps woes
One metric suggests Bills’ remaining 2024 schedule is incredibly favorable
Report: Bills among few teams still interested in Raiders WR Davante Adams
Bills veteran TE’s stats underscore Joe Brady’s problem
Published 36 Minutes Ago|Modified 9:00 AM EDT
Kyle Silagyi
KYLE SILAGYI
Home
/
News
You might also like
Co-Founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng, Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around
Co-Founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng, Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around
Andrew Ng, computer scientist and technology entrepreneur focusing on artificial intelligence, shares the five books he thinks will change your life.
Blinkist: Andrew Ng’s Reading List
Free Game To Win iPhone14 on MSport, Try Your Luck Now
Free Game To Win iPhone14 on MSport, Try Your Luck Now
Easy Play, Easy Win.
MSport-Best Odds
10,000W Standalone Solar Kit in Nigeria: Affordable and Efficient – Discover More!
10,000W Standalone Solar Kit in Nigeria: Affordable and Efficient – Discover More!
Portable Power Station | Search Ads
Affordable Solar Energy for Every Home in Nigeria: 2024 Price Update
Affordable Solar Energy for Every Home in Nigeria: 2024 Price Update
Solar Systems & Panels | Search Ads
2024 New Mobile Stair Lifts: Perfect for Elderly, No Installation Required
2024 New Mobile Stair Lifts: Perfect for Elderly, No Installation Required
Stair Lift | Search Ads
Rubber Flooring Cost Dropped This Month? Search For Current Cost
Rubber Flooring Cost Dropped This Month? Search For Current Cost
Search Ads
FanNation
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Takedown Policy
Terms and Conditions
SI Accessibility Statement
Cookie Preferences
© 2024 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.