Rough couple of weeks for the Bills, with a tough playoff loss, head coach being fired and a recent draft pick or two having potshots taken at them by employers. Specifically Keon Coleman.
Buffalo's owner, for some reason, felt it was important to tell everyone that the second-round selection of Coleman two years ago was on the coaching staff (whose top guy, Sean McDermott, he'd just fired) rather than GM Brandon Beane (who he'd just promoted). Convenient. Humorously, turns out the coach he was ripping may have been recently promoted Joe Brady, who said "I was one of the ones who stood on the table for Keon." Alrighty then. Josh Allen also voiced support for Coleman.
Setting aside differences of opinion between the owner and a number of people who work for him, there's no question that Coleman has been a disappointment so far. What can be said on the youngster's behalf is he's not exactly the only early selection from that 2024 draft class of wide receivers who's underachieved thus far.
There were 10 selected in the top 40 picks that year. Definite hits include Malik Nabers, when healthy, and Ladd McConkey. Rome Odunze looked good this year before a foot injury wrecked his season. Brian Thomas had a great rookie season and a poor second year; seems kind of like the jury is out on both him and Marvin Harrison, who hasn't lived up to expectations.
Of the other five, all selected withing 10 picks of each other at the end of the first round and beginning of the second, Xavier Worthy has been good, but hasn't really knocked it out of the park. I certainly won't give Ricky Pearsall any heat for getting shot prior to his rookie season, but he battled injuries throughout Year 2. Ja'Lynn Polk was a nonfactor as a rookie and missed all of 2025 due to a shoulder injury.
That leaves us with Xavier Legette, drafted by Carolina with the last pick of the first round, and Coleman, selected by Buffalo with the first pick of the second. Both were healthy last season. Neither was good.
Consider yards per target, yards generated on passes thrown their way. There were 68 wide receivers last year who caught at least 35 passes. Two of the dozen worst in terms of yards per target were Coleman and Legette. Several other members of that draft class, the ones who stayed healthy anyway, show up a lot more favorably in terms of making an impact on passes thrown their way.
| WIDE RECEIVERS YARDS PER TARGET, 2025 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Y/Tgt |
| Alec Pierce, Ind. | 84 | 47 | 1003 | 6 | 11.9 |
| Christian Watson, G.B. | 55 | 35 | 611 | 6 | 11.1 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sea. | 163 | 119 | 1793 | 10 | 11.0 |
| Jameson Williams, Det. | 102 | 65 | 1117 | 7 | 11.0 |
| Luther Burden, Chi. | 60 | 47 | 652 | 2 | 10.9 |
| George Pickens, Dal. | 137 | 93 | 1429 | 9 | 10.4 |
| Kendrick Bourne, S.F. | 53 | 37 | 551 | 0 | 10.4 |
| Puka Nacua, LAR | 166 | 129 | 1715 | 10 | 10.3 |
| Zay Flowers, Bal. | 118 | 86 | 1211 | 5 | 10.3 |
| Ricky Pearsall, S.F. | 53 | 36 | 528 | 0 | 10.0 |
| Stefon Diggs, N.E. | 102 | 85 | 1013 | 4 | 9.9 |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 60 | 38 | 582 | 3 | 9.7 |
| Nico Collins, Hou. | 120 | 71 | 1117 | 6 | 9.3 |
| CeeDee Lamb, Dal. | 117 | 75 | 1077 | 3 | 9.2 |
| Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 100 | 64 | 910 | 6 | 9.1 |
| DeVonta Smith, Phi. | 113 | 77 | 1008 | 4 | 8.9 |
| Parker Washington, Jac. | 95 | 58 | 847 | 5 | 8.9 |
| Quentin Johnston, LAC | 84 | 51 | 735 | 8 | 8.8 |
| D.K. Metcalf, Pit. | 99 | 59 | 850 | 6 | 8.6 |
| Tee Higgins, Cin. | 98 | 59 | 846 | 11 | 8.6 |
| Romeo Doubs, G.B. | 85 | 55 | 724 | 6 | 8.5 |
| Cooper Kupp, Sea. | 70 | 47 | 593 | 2 | 8.5 |
| Mack Hollins, N.E. | 65 | 46 | 550 | 2 | 8.5 |
| Ryan Flournoy, Dal. | 56 | 40 | 475 | 4 | 8.5 |
| Darius Slayton, NYG | 63 | 37 | 538 | 1 | 8.5 |
| A.J. Brown, Phi. | 121 | 78 | 1003 | 7 | 8.3 |
| Tetairoa McMillan, Car. | 122 | 70 | 1014 | 7 | 8.3 |
| Marvin Harrison, Ari. | 73 | 41 | 608 | 4 | 8.3 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 124 | 74 | 1017 | 7 | 8.2 |
| Drake London, Atl. | 112 | 68 | 919 | 7 | 8.2 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown, Det. | 172 | 117 | 1401 | 11 | 8.1 |
| Michael Wilson, Ari. | 126 | 78 | 1006 | 7 | 8.0 |
| D.J. Moore, Chi. | 85 | 50 | 682 | 6 | 8.0 |
| Marquise Brown, K.C. | 74 | 49 | 587 | 5 | 7.9 |
| Brian Thomas, Jac. | 91 | 48 | 707 | 2 | 7.8 |
| Jordan Addison, Min. | 79 | 42 | 610 | 3 | 7.7 |
| Jayden Higgins, Hou. | 68 | 41 | 525 | 6 | 7.7 |
| Ja'Marr Chase, Cin. | 185 | 125 | 1412 | 8 | 7.6 |
| Jakobi Meyers, 2TM | 110 | 75 | 835 | 3 | 7.6 |
| Khalil Shakir, Buf. | 95 | 72 | 719 | 4 | 7.6 |
| Tre Tucker, L.V. | 92 | 57 | 696 | 5 | 7.6 |
| Chris Olave, N.O. | 156 | 100 | 1163 | 9 | 7.5 |
| Rashid Shaheed, 2TM | 92 | 59 | 687 | 2 | 7.5 |
| Xavier Hutchinson, Hou. | 57 | 35 | 428 | 3 | 7.5 |
| Justin Jefferson, Min. | 141 | 84 | 1048 | 2 | 7.4 |
| Ladd McConkey, LAC | 106 | 66 | 789 | 6 | 7.4 |
| Emeka Egbuka, T.B. | 127 | 63 | 938 | 6 | 7.4 |
| Deebo Samuel, Was. | 99 | 72 | 727 | 5 | 7.3 |
| Rashee Rice, K.C. | 78 | 53 | 571 | 5 | 7.3 |
| Rome Odunze, Chi. | 90 | 44 | 661 | 6 | 7.3 |
| Xavier Worthy, K.C. | 73 | 42 | 532 | 1 | 7.3 |
| Wan'Dale Robinson, NYG | 140 | 92 | 1014 | 4 | 7.2 |
| Michael Pittman, Ind. | 111 | 80 | 784 | 7 | 7.1 |
| Jauan Jennings, S.F. | 90 | 55 | 643 | 9 | 7.1 |
| Sterling Shepard, T.B. | 53 | 39 | 371 | 1 | 7.0 |
| Davante Adams, LAR | 114 | 60 | 789 | 14 | 6.9 |
| Troy Franklin, Den. | 104 | 65 | 709 | 6 | 6.8 |
| Keon Coleman, Buf. | 59 | 38 | 404 | 4 | 6.8 |
| Garrett Wilson, NYJ | 59 | 36 | 395 | 4 | 6.7 |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 122 | 81 | 777 | 4 | 6.4 |
| Josh Downs, Ind. | 88 | 58 | 566 | 4 | 6.4 |
| Marvin Mims, Den. | 51 | 37 | 322 | 1 | 6.3 |
| Elic Ayomanor, Ten. | 89 | 41 | 515 | 4 | 5.8 |
| Jerry Jeudy, Cle. | 106 | 50 | 602 | 2 | 5.7 |
| Chimere Dike, Ten. | 74 | 48 | 423 | 4 | 5.7 |
| Xavier Legette, Car. | 64 | 35 | 363 | 3 | 5.7 |
| Malik Washington, Mia. | 65 | 46 | 317 | 3 | 4.9 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus, Chi. | 65 | 39 | 313 | 2 | 4.8 |
One of the nicer things that can be said is at least these disappointments weren't drafted ahead of Puka Nacua types who are tearing up the league. The next four WRs after Polk were Adonai Mitchell, Malachi Corley, Jermaine Burton and Roman Wilson. A couple of those guys are already on their second teams. Jalen McMillan and Troy Franklin are the closest the draft class has to mid-round hits. Seventh-rounder Devaughn Vele and Ryan Flournoy have been the most successful wideouts drafted in the last four rounds. I wonder where Brandon Beane fell on those guys.
As for Coleman, at least his current head coach and quarterback seem to have his back. He caught a touchdown (pictured) in the last game. So maybe next year.
--Andy Richardson
