The Buffalo Bills continue to suggest that wide receiver Keon Coleman remains very much in their plans for 2026. Leading that charge is general manager Brandon Beane.
"It's not all talk," Beane recently told . "I think Keon understands what he can control and what he can't, and we all mature at different times.
"It's not an ability thing with him. I think he's shown plenty when he's been dialed in and connected with the quarterback and the play call and everyone, all is one. But when you let the stuff that occurred off the field, that then affects what your opportunities are on the field."
As recently as late January, it felt like the Bills were paving the way to move on from the 2024 second-round pick. After a promising first season and an apparently strong training camp in 2025, Coleman saw his role fluctuate during the season, seeing his regular-season numbers dip and playing fewer than half the offensive snaps in Buffalo's two playoff games.
During the postmortem news conference following Sean McDermott's firing in January, Bills owner Terry Pegula stepped in to defend Beane and suggested that the former coaching staff had “pushed to draft” Coleman.
It was difficult to imagine Coleman being a big part of the Bills' plans in 2026 after seemingly being thrown under the bus so publicly, especially after his maturity appeared to be in question. But Beane isn't giving up on a talented player who won't turn 23 years old until May.
"Listen, (Coleman) has to go do it, but I think we feel confident that the maturity level is heading where it needs to," Beane said. "Again, he's got to go do it. We believe in the skill set, and that's part of what your culture is. We all grow at different times; none of us were a made product at 21, 22. Do you wish you had to go through that with him? No, you don't.
"But you hope for us, and for him, he looks back and says, 'That was the best thing that happened to me.' That's what you hope. And we're putting all our eggs in his basket to come back for year three and be a part of this group, however that is."
The Bills have already made moves at receiver, trading for DJ Moore and signing Trent Sherfield, among others. They have several returners set to come back, including leading receiver Khalil Shakir, Josh Palmer and the promising Tyrell Shavers.
Buffalo also has readily scouted draft prospects at receiver. There are multiple unsigned free agents from last year's roster, as well, such as Brandin Cooks, Gabe Davis and Curtis Samuel. Beane and the Bills aren't guaranteeing anything for Coleman this season -- and certainly not a starting spot -- but they're leaving the door ajar for his trajectory to change.
"Bringing (Moore) in brings competition in. Josh Palmer got banged up last year, hopefully Year 2 goes better for him, but it'll sort itself out," Beane said. "I think (Coleman) knows he's got to come in and earn every single thing he's gonna get. He's got to fight to see if he can start. And if he doesn't, then he's going to have to still prove that he's the next guy off the bench if he's not a starter."
