It has now been over four months since the Buffalo Bills lost in the NFL Divisional Round, where they were stymied in overtime by the Denver Broncos. The Bills, who have been a presence in the playoffs for nearly a decade after their revival with former Head Coach Sean McDermott and Quarterback Josh Allen, put up yet another impressive regular season record: twelve wins and five losses. Yet, the team has been unable to make it through the playoffs and into their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994. Again.
A new Buffalo Bills era began just two days after the loss, precipitated by yet another controversial event on the field when Denver Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian was ruled to have intercepted a deep ball in overtime, despite many being certain former Bills receiver Brandin Cooks had come down with it. After nine years of Sean McDermott head coaching the Buffalo Bills, the organization decided to take the team’s future in a different direction. After the warm dismissal of McDermott, Joe Brady, former offensive coordinator, took his place. After lots of struggles with the receiving core, this is an analysis of returning Bills receivers, as well as the new blood on the squad.
Keon Coleman and Other Continuing Players:
There is no shortage of controversy surrounding Keon Coleman. Drafted in the second round by the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 NFL Draft, Coleman has since displayed spotty performance and potential attitude issues. After two seasons of play for the Bills, many fans were extremely disappointed in what he brought to the table. He was benched during the 2025-2026 NFL season due to disciplinary reasons, with McDermott saying it was his second offense of unpunctuality, showing up late to practice in the middle of the season. However, McDermott notably said while “we expect more” he “still believe[s] in the young man.” In the remainder of the season, Keon Coleman struggled to perform even near the extent that the Buffalo Bills had hoped for. After a forty-two yard per game average in his rookie year, despite a similar number of targets, Coleman only managed thirty-one yards per game in his second season.
Another metric that demonstrates his arguably disappointing play is the fact that his longest reception of the year was thirty-seven yards. Although numerous times throughout the season, Coleman was targeted for a deeper ball, he was unable to come down with them. This is troubling for a player like Coleman because the Bills had hoped to use his size to their advantage; at 6’4”, Coleman is significantly taller than leading wide receivers in years past, such as Stefon Diggs and Khalil Shakir, both of whom are four inches shorter. Coleman has failed to reap to the benefits of this advantage so far and was not a valid deep-range threat for Buffalo.
To further the tension, Bills Owner Terry Pegula commented that, “The coaching staff pushed for Keon. He was not Brandon’s choice,” using this as a way to, in part, explain the release of former Head Coach, Sean McDermott. However, with Coleman still on the roster for the team, it seems the Bills organization sees the chance for a much more positive showing in Coleman’s third season with the Bills. The Bills’ General Manager (GM) of seven years, Brandon Beane, has defended and supported Coleman this offseason. “We had some people connect with us in Indy, at least one team there, and a couple between there and the owners meetings. But we shut those down,” Beane said. “Our intention is for Keon to be here.”
It may also please Bills fans to hear that the long-term GM said, “We [the Bills organization] feel confident that the maturity level is heading where it needs to.” Hopefully, third-season Coleman will showcase more of the athleticism and talent that made the team draft him in the first place, along with added determination, discipline, and consistency to make him a key asset for Buffalo.
Regarding the overall group of Bills wide receivers continuing into this year, chief among them is Khalil Shakir. Beloved by Bills fans for his consistency and yards after the catch capability, Shakir is known to never give up on a play. He caught for over seven yards, even with the “everybody eats” mentality of the Bills passing game which meant the ball was spread around quite a bit. Shakir remains a crucial component of the Bills team and will be a vital weapon in the 2026-2027 season. Other players like Josh Palmer, Tyrell Shavers, Mecole Hardman (from the 2025 mid-season trade) and more will continue to snag Allen’s darts from the air in the upcoming season.
Acquisitions and New Talent:
In terms of trade acquisitions, veteran wide receiver DJ Moore was traded to the Bills from the Chicago Bears, along with their fifth round draft pick, and in turn, Buffalo handed over their second round slot. Moore, despite a surprising lack of Pro Bowl appearances in his career, has had an impressive tenure in the NFL. With four seasons receiving for over a thousand yards, the now-twenty-nine year old WR has showcased skill and longevity. While Moore’s stats significantly lowered in the most recent season, with under seven hundred receiving yards, Beane has said that after reviewing tapes, they “don’t see a dropoff in his play or route-running or speed.” He also mentioned Moore’s yards after the catch capability as an attractive feature in his play. Moore seems to have great potential for the Bills in their upcoming season, and defenses should watch out for Allen slinging the ball his way.
As for the Bills’ young prospects, rookie Skyler Bell, standing 5’11”, 192 pounds, is another potentially formidable weapon for Josh Allen. Going in the fourth round, Bell was a great steal for the Bills somewhat later in the draft, considering the young players impressive combine results. He posted a 4.4 second forty yard dash, which in the world of football, is respectable and noticeable distance away from the average of 4.52 seconds among NFL wideouts. His forty-one inch vertical and 1.53 second ten-yard-split are also indicative of his athleticism. Skyler Bell reportedly had a nervous showing in the beginning of training camp. According to Bell himself, Joe Brady, new head coach, encouraged the promising young recruit. “I was just in my head a little bit, getting jitters and things like that. So, he [Joe Brady] was just telling me, ‘Man, just be yourself, man. We want you here. You’re here for a reason, so just keep doing you.’” Brady commented on Skyler Bell’s great potential, notably referencing his “versatility” and his “unique skill set.” Brady and multiple other accounts are very impressed with the new receiver, who played better—and with increased confidence—after Brady’s pep talk. It seems the young player could hold great things for Buffalo’s future.
All in all, Buffalo Bills fans have reason to be excited about Buffalo’s receiving core this year, and the world will see what Josh Allen’s crew has in store for the league in the fall. Go Buffalo!
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