Keon Coleman knows it’s now or never.
The Buffalo Bills receiver has been the subject of criticism through his first two seasons and hasn’t lived up to big expectations. Drafted with the 33rd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Coleman was penciled in to be the solution to the Bills’ receiving issues.
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Instead, he’s become the poster child for them, especially after team owner Terry Pegula took aim at Coleman earlier this offseason. Coleman dismissed those comments when he met with reporters at Bills’ organized team activities (OTAs) on May 19 and shifted the focus to the upcoming season.
“For me, it’s make or break,” Coleman said.
“[If you are] (expletive), you might not be here. Simple as that, [simply] put, man. … I know what I’m capable of. So, if I fall anything short of that, I’m doing myself a disservice and my team.”
Coleman noted that it’s time for him to put it all together, but he isn’t worried about the outside noise.
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“I mean, it’s on the outside,” Coleman said. “That’s why it’s on the outside. I just don’t let it bother me. So it just is what it is.
“I know what they saying. I hear it. I just don’t care. You know what I’m saying? None of them going to come lace them up and try to stand in front of me. None of those things. So, it’s just people say they going to say what they want to say. At the end of the day, my job is to come out here, put my cleats on, strap them up, and prove my worth.”
Coleman finished his second season with 38 catches, 404 receiving yards and four touchdowns in only 13 games. The receiver found himself on the sidelines more than he would’ve liked, another thing he addressed on May 19.
“Getting benched four games, some (expletive) like that. Unacceptable,” Coleman said. “Ended off on a decent note, had a touchdown [in the playoffs], so that was – I wouldn’t even call that a confidence boost, it was just a positive to end the season on. But we lost. So, that was another negative to erase that. But, I mean, I don’t need self-motivation, though. I know what I am here to do and what I am capable of doing.”
When asked, the receiver said he hasn’t spoken to Pegula, adding that he’s in the building so there’s nothing to talk about.
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The owner didn’t hold back his displeasure with Coleman during a press conference on Jan. 21, when Pegula opted to defend general manager Brandon Beane’s decision to draft the often-criticized player.
“The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon,” Pegula said. “I’m not saying Brandon wouldn’t have drafted him, but he wasn’t his next choice. That was Brandon being a team player and taking advice of his coaching staff, who felt strongly about the player.
“He’s taking, for some reason, heat over it and not saying a word about it, but I’m here to tell you the true story.”
The Bills made sure to add some receiving help this offseason, swinging a trade with the Chicago Bears for DJ Moore and drafting Skyler Bell out of UConn. It means that Coleman is likely to find himself in a battle for snaps going into the season, since the depth chart has gotten more crowded.
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At best, Coleman is penciled in at WR4 on the depth chart, behind Moore, Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer.
If he puts it all together, however, the former Florida State standout might be the missing piece that puts the Bills over the top.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Keon Coleman addresses Terry Pegula comments, upcoming Bills season
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