If the Buffalo Bills can get any return on investment from wide receiver Keon Coleman, they might want to jump at it at this point.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox topped his list of “Bold” NFL trade predictions with the San Francisco 49ers sending a conditional 5th-round pick to the Bills in exchange for talented but immature wide receiver Keon Coleman.
Coleman was a 2nd-round pick in 2024 but has fallen grossly short of expectations, on and off the field.
“The San Francisco 49ers already have some question marks at wide receiver,” Knox wrote on September 4. “They brought back Deebo Samuel and sign Mike Evans, but they also lost Jauan Jennings in free agency and Ricky Pearsall to season-ending injured reserve (PCL) … Buffalo Bills receiver Keon Coleman, meanwhile, could use a fresh start. The 2024 33rd overall pick hasn’t developed into a reliable go-to receiver in Buffalo. He wasn’t always even part of the game plan in 2025, though he does have a supporter in former offensive coordinator and current head coach Joe Brady. A trade could help create those opportunities while giving Coleman a new chance in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.”
Keon Coleman’s Biggest Foe: His Alarm Clock
The No. 33 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bills benched Coleman, a former Michigan State and Florida State star, for being late to team meetings in 2024 and he was a healthy scratch for 3 more games.
As a rookie in 2024, Coleman was benched for “off-field timing issues” — also being late to team meetings.
Coleman got an extra dose of humiliation when Bills owner Terry Pegula cited picking Coleman as 1 of the reasons former head coach Sean McDermott was fired following an AFC Divisional Round loss to the Denver Broncos — a game in which Coleman had a touchdown reception.
Tantalizing Numbers Show Coleman Has Potential
Through his 1st 2 seasons, Coleman has 67 receptions for 960 yards and 8 touchdowns in just 26 games — tantalizing numbers.
“Getting benched four games, some (expletive) like that … unacceptable,” Coleman told ESPN’s Alaine Getzenberg on May 19. “Ended off on a decent note, had a touchdown [in the playoffs), so that was — I wouldn’t even call that a confidence boost, it was just a positive to end the season on. But we lost. So, that was another negative to erase that. But, I mean, I don’t need self-motivation, though. I know what I am here to do and what I am capable of doing.”
Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton singled Coleman out as the biggest bust on Buffalo’s roster in 2026. He’s now in the 3rd season of his 4-year, $10 million rookie contract.
“Keon Coleman faces palpable pressure entering his third season,” Moton wrote on July 10. “Head coach Joe Brady said he turned down trade offers for the wideout despite his recent struggles. In 2025, the Bills benched Coleman and listed him as a healthy inactive for multiple games. Clearly, they expect more from the 2024 second-rounder and still believe he can make a significant developmental leap, but it’s unlikely to happen this year. The Bills traded a second-round pick to the Chicago Bears for wideout DJ Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick. With that new addition, Coleman doesn’t have a clear pathway to a big role in the passing attack. Moore, slot wideout Khalil Shakir and tight end Dalton Kincaid will probably see most of the targets, which leaves few opportunities for any other pass-catcher to make a significant impact.”
Bills’ ‘Bold’ Trade Pitch Sends Disappointing WR to 49ers