Keon Coleman’s challenging sophomore season is reaching new lows.
The Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver, in his second year, was deemed a healthy scratch for Sunday’s Week 11 home matchup against the Buccaneers after he missed a team meeting on Friday morning.
Even though the Bills (6-3) initially planned to include the 22-year-old in the game, they decided otherwise due to his absence.
In addition, tight end Dalton Kincaid will also miss the game due to a hamstring injury, adding to the challenges for quarterback Josh Allen.
This notable change in the receiver lineup was first shared by a source from Cover 1 on Saturday night, and later confirmed by NFL insider Jordan Schultz, who emphasized that this decision wasn’t about Coleman’s performance.
Reportedly, Coleman had a decent week during practice, and the team remains hopeful about his contributions in the future.
Nonetheless, his on-field performance has not improved much, which is not great for the Bills, who were expecting a bigger leap from him this season.
So far, the Florida State product has recorded 32 receptions for 330 yards and three touchdowns over nine games, but his statistics have steadily decreased as the season has progressed.
After an impressive start with 112 yards in the season opener, Coleman hasn’t topped 50 yards in any subsequent games and has been limited to fewer than 20 yards in two of his last four appearances.
During a recent disappointing game against the Dolphins, Coleman caught just three of eight targets for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Earlier this season, he was benched for disciplinary reasons, missing the first series in a Week 5 loss against the Patriots.
Head coach Sean McDermott has remarked that they hope for more consistency from Coleman, noting he has shown signs of growth. With the playoffs in sight, though, the Bills can’t afford to wait.
Perhaps, this could serve as a wake-up call for him.
