Bills' Keon Coleman mistake looms large in 2026 NFL Draft week

Bills' Keon Coleman mistake looms large in 2026 NFL Draft week originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

About two years ago, the Buffalo Bills drafted an exciting wide receiver talent, Keon Coleman, at the start of the second round.

That choice looms large as the Bills prepare for this week's 2026 NFL Draft, and not in a good way.

The Coleman choice seemed logical at the time. A big, athletic wide receiver to grow into one of Josh Allen's top targets? An awesome idea.

Coleman flashed as a rookie, too, with a handful of big plays. Heading into the 2025 season, he was supposed to take a step forward and be a rising star.

Instead, he was late for meetings, benched for that and ineffective when he was on the field at all.

And now the Bills' whole offseason has had that lack of WR certainty hovering over it.

MORE:Shedeur Sanders sets the bar for NFL Draft craziness

Buffalo already gave up its second-round pick in a trade to the Chicago Bears to get DJ Moore. That mostly solves it, they hope.

Would they take the risk of using the No. 26 overall pick on a wideout, too? Probably not, but Coleman is the only reason they'd even consider it.

Those in the building would have a better idea of whether Coleman actually has a chance to be redeemed, or if he's mostly a lost cause. If they think they can turn him around, then there's no reason to reach early on a pass catcher.