Buffalo Bills OC Joe Brady excited about the vision for key rookie ahead of training camp

Training camp is kicking off around the league, and the Buffalo Bills are no different. This year in particular, eyes will be fixed inquisitively to how some new faces are performing at key positions on both sides of the ball. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady made this thoughts on Keon Coleman, viewed by many as a pivotal rookie both for this year and the future, well known.

Keon Coleman will look to continue strong offseason work ethic

When GM Brandon Beane traded back to the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to select Keon Coleman, there were some questions about the pick. It's easy to be excited about the upside of Coleman – his combination of size and athleticism is easy to get carried away about.

But despite his athleticism, there are questions about the polish of the wide receiver in terms of his route running ability and other nuances to his game. Bills Mafia might not be thrilled to hear it, but patience is likely going to be required as the 20-year-old continues to develop.

It certainly sounds like Brady has already seen some of the work ethic necessary for growth coming to fruition.

"[Coleman] has the right mindset and the right approach about how he goes about it, right. He’ll have a couple routes where he and Josh [Allen] are getting on the same page," Brady said in an appearance on the Centered On Buffalo podcast. "They might miss on it in practice, and then stay after practice to get after it and get a feel, Josh just as much as Keon, with Josh trying to feel out how Keon is talking to him in his routes. So it was fun to see their growth together through the offseason and OTAs."

Work ethic is always going to be important, but it's especially so from a rookie wide receiver that figures to be a key part of the offense right away, alongside returning wide receiver Khalil Shakir and second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid .

"[Colemann will be] continuing that this summer into training camp, and the more that they get a feel with each other, ya know Keon’s going to naturally continue to grow into the offense and be able to do more as we kinda go, but I was pleased with his work ethic, his approach, his intelligence, being able to pick up what he can do, and then have the opportunities to go out there and make a play, which he did. I'm excited about the vision for him as we go into this first year."

Coleman will work to transition his game to the pro level

How much or how little Coleman is able to get involved early is going to be a blend of his ability and Brady's scheme. For Coleman, a 6'4" 215 lbs wide receiver that thrives when the ball is in the air, the ability to separate and create space is going to be an area that he will need to continue on.

Early in his career, the route tree might be a little more narrow, but Coleman's contested catch ability, size, and leaping ability will make him an intriguing downfield threat. If he can gain the trust of Allen, we could see a ton of 50/50 attempts going to him on the boundary.

Not all wide receivers need to be route running savants, but the more Coleman can position himself and be where he needs to be, when he needs to be there, the more opportunities will open up for him. Where Coleman can thrive early is as a monster on the perimeter, in the red zone, and as a jump ball specialist when Allen looks to extend the play with his legs. I could also see Coleman getting designed touches where plays scheme him open on shallow routes to allow him to utilize his strong YAC ability (averaged 6.4 YAC).

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