By Sean McDermott’s words, Keon Coleman’s rookie year with the Buffalo Bills was “an up and down first season.” There’s no denying that it was. Coleman had a big game against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7 with four catches for 125 yards, and followed that up with 70 yards and a touchdown against Seattle.

The flashes were there, but the consistency wasn’t. There were highlight reel catches in some contested situations, but there were also issues, like an inability to separate down the field. For McDermott, he knows what Coleman has to do in his second season to reach his potential.

“As far as Keon goes, I thought he had an up and down first season, I really do,” McDermott said. “And I mentioned that after the year, I thought he got off to a start that he built momentum through, and then he got injured, and then from there on, it was rather rocky, I would say. We’re looking for him to learn from those moments of adversity and come back and have a really, really, really strong offseason and get himself going into the start of offseason two here.”

The Bills invested their highest draft pick on a wide receiver in the Brandon Beane era on Coleman. They’re counting on him to emerge as a solid weapon on the outside for Josh Allen and the offense. He’ll have a crucial offseason ahead of him.

“You have to stay urgent, you have to stay on the gas, or this league will eat you up, whether you’re a player or coach, whatever it is. And that takes a certain type of person, a certain drive and determination and fire in their heart, and it’s going to be Keon’s turn to show that he has that,” McDermott added.

Coleman will need to learn how to emphasize his strengths and improve his weaknesses, earning the trust by showing dependability in what the offense has to offer. He has the trust of the people in the building, and now it’s time to make it happen.

Sean McDermott’s latest comments point to a golden opportunity that the Bills missed to address one of their biggest needs

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