Bills' Keon Coleman Challenged by Brandon Beane Before Free Agency Opens

Brandon Beane was again asked about wide receiver Keon Coleman once again as he addressed the media at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday.

The Buffalo Bills’ president of football operations has discussed what he expects from Coleman countless times since the offseason began, and again provided a good look into what the former second-round pick’s next few months will look like.

“I think we need to see Keon have the offseason that he had a year ago,” said Beane while addressing reporters. “Which was excellent, we couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) warms up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Beane added, “He came to Phase I, Phase II, all that stuff dialed in, ready to go, you could tell he had been working out. And then … he had an excellent camp, let’s do that again.”

The problem

From the start of the season to how things ended for Coleman in 2025, something disconnected along the way. Beane identified what he believed caused the issues the young wide receiver experienced.

“It’s the maturity, it’s the off-the-field,” said the Bills’ president/general manager. “That can get in the way. I’ve been in this league 28, this will be 29 seasons, I’ve seen that many times get in the way of people’s opportunities to grow, not only on the field, but expand their net worth off the field.”

MORE: Bills Restructure Spencer Brown's Contract to Save Millions Before Free Agency

We’re live with President of Football Ops and GM Brandon Beane from the 2026 NFL Combine. https://t.co/k917AtWC6D
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) February 24, 2026

Coleman began this past year red-hot, with a sparkling performance against the Baltimore Ravens, during which he recorded eight receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown. However, over the remainder of the season, which had a couple of disciplinary benchings and healthy scratches littered throughout, Coleman finished with just 30 catches for 292 yards and three touchdowns.

That’s an average of just 2.7 receptions and 26.5 yards per contest over his 11 remaining games played.

“So that is kind of the challenge to Keon,” added Beane. “Can you go back and do what you did all offseason and your training camp, and if you remember, he had a great game [in] Game 1 against Baltimore, don’t let some of the maturity issues off the field affect the product on the field.”

Golden opportunity

While he was in the doghouse with the previous coaching staff, Coleman will have a new lease on life under new head coach Joe Brady. The Bills’ new leader has already expressed his confidence in Coleman.

“If he does that, he’ll have every chance,” said Beane. “I know we’ve got some new coaches and they’re excited to meet him and get to work with him, and were aware of him in the draft process a couple years ago. So they kinda wanna try and start [to] mold him in the way they see and envision him for our team.”

While Coleman’s ’25 campaign was less than desirable, he is still just 22 years old and is under contract for the next two seasons. If he can turn things around in a hurry, that would be a significant boost for the Bills’ fledgling WR corps, which could look far different come Week 1.

With that said, if he doesn't perform, he could be out the door as the Bills will look to improve the position through free agency, the draft and perhaps via trade this offseason.