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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman won’t be leaving the team, but could face increasing pressure to prove himself in the coming season.

General manager Brandon Beane ended trade speculation around the third-year receiver just after the NFL draft, saying the team had consistently turned down trade offers and that other teams eventually stopped inquiring. Coleman’s future had been surrounded by uncertainty after team owner Terry Pegula took aim at him during a season-ending press conference, leading to speculation that the team would cut ties with the receiver this offseason.

Keon Coleman Facing Pressure for 2026 Season

Though Coleman appears a lock to remain with the team, one analyst believes this could be a make-or-break season for the former second-round pick.

In an article identifying the Bills players under the most pressure to improve in 2026, SI.com writer Randy Gurzi noted that Coleman has already gained a shaky reputation.

“Keon Coleman is one of the more highly criticized players on the Buffalo roster,” Gurzi wrote. “The 2024 second-round pick has the talent to be a difference-maker, but hasn’t lived up to his expectations. There were rumors that Coleman could be traded this offseason, with Bills On SI’s Alex Brasky saying the team should still pursue a move.”

Coleman became a point of contention at the team’s press conference discussing the firing of head coach Sean McDermott, with Pegula blaming the former coach for pushing the team to draft Coleman.

Beane later stood by Coleman, saying the team expected him to improve and stressing that they were not seeking a trade for him. But Coleman will face pressure in landing his spot on the roster, Gurzi wrote.

“With offseason programs approaching, the Bills want to give him another chance to show he can produce,” Gurzi wrote. “That puts him on notice as Coleman finds himself fighting for a spot on the team, just one year after he was the favorite for the WR1 spot.”

Rookie Receiver Brings More Competition

The Bills brought in more competition for Coleman, landing Connecticut wide receiver Skyler Bell with a fourth-round pick. Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle  that Bell could make a move for Coleman’s spot on the depth chart.

“Unless something changes, Coleman is going to battle for the No. 4 spot in the rotation, and the only real threat right now would seem to be Bell,” Maiorana wrote. “As ESPN’s Mel Kiper said after the pick was made Saturday, ‘Josh Allen is going to love Skyler Bell’ so if he can seamlessly make the transition to the NFL, Coleman could be in trouble no matter how much love Beane and Brady have showered him with.”

Maiorana added that Beane has been high on Bell already, noting his versatility as a wide receiver.

“He’s a guy that we think can play inside, can play outside, has enough speed, good with contested catches, you saw some run after catch with him,” Beane said. “If you just want to watch his highlight tape, go watch the Syracuse game; they just kept throwing him the ball. It’s competition.”

Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty