Bills OC raves about WR Keon Coleman: 'I love where Keon's at as a football player'

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady had high praise for rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman during his Tuesday press conference.

Kyle Silagyi | Aug 20, 2024

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Wide receivers are oft-featured in highlight reels and other NFL marketing material for good reason, as they frequently construct electric plays with their speed, athleticism, and natural ability. Rarely are they celebrated for their blocking ability, however, this despite the fact that blocking is one of the most important attributes a wideout can specialize in in terms of the success of the wider offense.

A wide receiver being as effective a blocker as he is a route runner and pass-catcher is incredibly valuable for an offense, as a team can not only rely on that player to deliver when a play comes to them, but also contribute when the ball goes elsewhere. Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman is a player who checks all of these boxes, as he not only constructed frequent splash plays throughout his collegiate career to the tune of 19 receiving touchdowns—he was also lauded as one of the better blocking wide receivers in the nation.

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady was asked about Coleman’s blocking ability and how it’s translated to the professional level during his Tuesday press conference; the play-caller was complimentary not only of the rookie’s blocking ability, but general game.

“I love where Keon’s at as a football player right now,” Brady said. “It’s obviously, understanding where expectations are and everything, I understand where he got drafted and what not, I’m not always just focused on how the production is in a preseason game as opposed to seeing it every day in practice. There are certain things that we have asked other receivers to do, it’s everybody in a little different role in terms of the run game.

“If you remember Keon coming out, he was one of the best blockers in the draft. Not saying you’re drafting a guy to block, but having guys that can do a little bit of everything, that can make plays as a receiver, they can block, it makes it a little harder on defenses to know where guys are and what they’re going to do when they’re in those positions. I’m pleased with where Keon’s at right now.”

Brady’s praise comes after an initial preseason stretch from Coleman that has sparked a mixed national reaction. He’s been targeted six times throughout Buffalo’s first two preseason contests, catching two passes for 20 yards. Three of his targets have been in the end zone, including a slightly errant throw in the team’s Week 2 win that hit the rookie’s hands before falling to the turf. Coleman’s ‘drop’ prompted a social media discourse: was it a catch that the big-bodied wideout, who is oft-praised for his contested catch ability, should have made?

Brady was asked about the areas he’d like to see Coleman improve in moving forward.

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“I think the biggest thing is just, when you’re getting into gameplans, you have to eventually learn how guys are playing you,” Brady said. “When you’re not watching tape, like I thought he did a good job last week going into practice, and you’re doing some one-on-ones, you’re going against Joey Porter Jr. and you’re seeing how he kind of plays it and the next time being able to, ‘Okay, this is how I think guys are going to play a guy like my size.’

“A lot of that sometimes changes throughout games, but especially for young guys as it is, is getting a feel of, ‘Hey, who are you going against?’ And then knowing what’s in your tools and how they’re going to be playing it against you, because it might be a corner on a 5-foot-8 receiver, he’s going to play it different than if they were playing Keon. Him just learning the game from that standpoint. Physically, he can do everything that we ask him for. Have no issues with anything physically, it’s just a matter of him growing and getting the experience of how the game is being played, how guys are going to defend him, how they’re going to change things as the year goes. That’s for every rookie, but something that I really just harken on with him.”

Though his preseason hasn’t been chock full of highlights, he’s impressed his coaching staff, which is ultimately the more lasting achievement. Coleman’s preseason may already be over, as Buffalo has already announced that it will keep its starters out of its preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers; in this event, the next time fans will see the rookie will be in the team’s regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on September 8.

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