Should Buffalo Bills bench Keon Coleman vs. Buccaneers in Week 11?

It’s been a rough start to the season for Keon Coleman.

Not only has the Buffalo Bills’ former second-round pick failed to produce meaningful results through his first season and a half as a professional, but questions regarding his effort have begun to arise, which has caused fans to question his value to Buffalo’s passing game moving forward.

In short, many have asked, should Coleman be benched as soon as Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?

Let’s examine that inquiry.

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) runs with the ball in the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Failure to produce

Coleman was expected to enjoy a breakout season in 2025, following a phenomenal training camp in which he was heavily featured, leaving those who followed this team over the summer mighty impressed. However, the connection he developed with quarterback Josh Allen during the team’s time at St. John Fisher University quickly dissipated as soon as the regular season began.

Through nine games, Coleman has run a team-high 226 routes, but is second on the team in targets (49) and receptions (32), third in yards receiving (330) and touchdowns receiving (3). He has been given every opportunity to transform into the team’s No. 1 WR, but for whatever reason, things just haven’t taken hold the way the Bills had hoped thus far.

Allen cannot be absolved of blame for the lack of connection developed between him and Coleman, as there have been times the Bills quarterback has missed an open Coleman down the field. But far more often have we seen Coleman failing to separate from defenders in the secondary, which has prevented him from presenting an open target for his quarterback.

Per NFL Pro, Coleman’s average separation of 2.8 yards is 11th — yes, 11th — among Bills’ pass catchers. His catch percentage is 65.3%, which is eighth among Bills pass catchers.

MORE: Bills vs. Buccaneers Preview: Prediction, storylines, odds, injuries, player to watch

Lack of effort

His failure to produce has led to plenty of scrutiny, while Coleman has also continued to exhibit character concerns.

He was disciplined for the second time in as many seasons earlier during the 2025 campaign, when Head Coach Sean McDermott decided to keep him on the sideline for the Bills’ first offensive series in Week 5 against the New England Patriots due to a “head coach discipline." He was also benched for the entire first quarter of a Week 3 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2024 season.

McDermott was recently asked about a perceived lack of diligence on Coleman’s part and did not say anything to tamp down concerns.

MORE: Bills' Sean McDermott offers stinging reaction to Keon Coleman's lack of effort

“We address effort when it needs to be addressed,” said the Bills' head coach. “So if there is, we address it. I can promise you that with any situation, any player, everyone’s held to the same level across the board. So high pick, you know, not a draft pick, whatever it is, is I think that's one of the great great things that we do is that even level of accountability.”

He continued, “It's been good at times and other times it can improve for sure.”

There haven’t been many instances throughout McDermott’s tenure where he has benched a player due to discipline and later gone on to criticize his effort publicly. Especially for the second consecutive year to begin a player's career.

Concerns regarding Coleman’s overall performance and mental makeup are starting to build. It may be time to pull the trigger on other options to help the Bills’ passing game. At the very least, a full-game benching may light a fire under Coleman that less than 100% effort will not be tolerated moving forward.

Waiting in the wings

After watching Coleman perform through nine games, one thought comes to mind: Things can’t get much worse. And with Gabe Davis and newly-acquired Mecole Hardman waiting on the practice squad, kicking the tires on the two veterans is becoming more and more appealing as the weeks pass.

Davis is the most intriguing option of the two, as his style of play would offer an immediate replacement for Coleman. Both players are big-bodied X receivers who spend much of their time lined up out wide in the formation.

On the other hand, Hardman may be the more likely option to be elevated from the team’s practice squad in the near term, as WR/punt returner Khalil Shakir is dealing with ankle and rib injuries, which may require the Bills to call Hardman up for Sunday’s game to help supplement the team's return game. If that winds up being the case, it would seem less likely that we would see Coleman’s usage decrease in favor of the team’s current backup X receiver, Tyrell Shavers.

Whatever the Bills elect to do this week, if Coleman doesn’t begin to turn things around against the Buccaneers, his leash is only going to grow shorter as Buffalo approaches the stretch run. Sitting at 6-3 entering Sunday’s matchup, the Bills cannot continue to stand by and wait for their second-year pass catcher to come around.

Pretty soon, the rubber is going to meet the road. If Coleman continues along the trajectory he has followed early in his career, this experiment must come to an end sooner rather than later.

MORE: Keon Coleman responds to criticism from legendary NFL wide receiver

What’s the answer?

If you ask me, the Bills should give Coleman one more week to show signs of progress before looking elsewhere for answers. Tampa Bay has allowed the ninth-most passing yards per game in the league this season, and this Sunday’s game has a chance to be a breakout game for the second-year wide receiver.

But if Coleman once again fails to provide a meaningful impact, I wouldn’t hesitate to shuffle Davis into the lineup in his place beginning in Week 12.

It would then be time to send a message.

There’s simply no more time to waste.

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