Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman will be a healthy scratch Sunday after missing a team meeting on Friday morning the team announced.
Coleman, who was a full participant in practice all week, was initially part of Buffalo’s game plan vs. Tampa Bay, but was ultimately removed due a to coach’s decision. His absence marks the first time in his young NFL career that he will be a healthy scratch for a full game.
The 22 year old started the season off on a high note, hauling in 8 catches for 112 yards and a TD in Week 1 vs. Baltimore. Since then however, he’s cooled off considerably, as he’s failed to eclipse the 50 yard plateau in any subsequent game. Currently, he’s sitting at 330 yards and 3 TDs on the year.
Unfortunately this is not the first time Coleman has had maturity issues with the Bills. During his rookie season he was benched for the 1st quarter of his team’s game vs. Jacksonville for not being on time to team activities. And even earlier this year, he was benched for the Bills’ first series against the New England Patriots for disciplinary reasons as well.
Members of the Buffalo press have grilled coach Sean McDermott about Coleman’s on field effort in recent weeks as the former 33rd overall pick from the 2024 NFL draft has struggled to live up to his pre-draft hype.
“He knows if I’m not satisfied [with his effort]. … Just like any player. It’s fair that you’re asking about it,” McDermott said. “I can promise you it gets addressed when it isn’t where it needs to be. There are times like any player or any performer where it’s exactly where it needs to, and there are times when it’s not. And then we have to address it to get it hopefully where it needs to be. So it’s addressed. It’s been good at times and other times it can improve for sure.”
In a corresponding move, Buffalo has elevated WR Gabe Davis from the practice squad, reuniting him with his former team. The club also elevated WR Mecole Hardman to the active roster as well to provide some additional depth and veteran leadership to the team’s pass catching group.
The team was already thin at wide receiver to begin with entering the season. Now with Coleman on the bench, and tight end Dalton Kincaid out due to a hamstring injury, Buffalo’s offence could be even more reliant on James Cook and Josh Allen to power their ground game than they were before.
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