NFL 2025: How Keon Coleman’s deep-threat emergence shapes the Bills’ Week 1 offense

The Buffalo Bills have entered the 2025 season with a renewed sense of urgency. First, there’s the mounting pressure of capitalizing on Josh Allen’s prime. Second, how they would replace their most consistent wideout after Stefon Diggs’s departure earlier this offseason.

However, through training camp and preseason glimpses, one name is taking center stage: Keon Coleman. He hasn't just assumed a starting role; he has become the most intriguing deep-threat weapon heading into Week 1.

Coleman’s arrival comes at a crucial juncture for the Bills’ offense. Diggs didn’t just act as Allen’s security blanket. He was the kind of receiver who often demanded double coverage, creating space for others. With his absence, many wondered if the Bills' offense would shrink, forcing Allen into more improvisational tactics, but vertical ability gives the Bills a different kind of gravitational pull.

At 6-foot-4 with NFL-caliber speed, Coleman threatens to stretch the field in ways that force defenses to respect the deep ball play after play. That presence opens up Buffalo’s playbook in ways not seen since Allen’s connection with a younger Diggs in 2020.

What makes Coleman an even more valuable asset for the team isn’t just his raw speed but also his contested catch ability. A case in point is his college days. There, he built a reputation on making difficult downfield plays look routine, a trait Buffalo believes will immediately translate. That would also mean Allen could finally throw deep without thinking about needing his receiver to gain several yards of separation.

As far as the team is concerned, Coleman’s size and catch radius allow them to attack vertically. That's even against tight coverage, pushing safeties deeper and loosening the short and intermediate game for tight end Dalton Kincaid and slot receiver Khalil Shakir.

Then comes the running game. James Cook, who agreed a four-year, $48 million contract extension with the Bills, will find more space, as opposing defenses are forced to respect Coleman’s ability to blow the top off a coverage shell.

In previous years, stacked boxes stifled Buffalo’s attempts at establishing balance. If Coleman commands safety help over the top, offensive coordinator Joe Brady has the chessboard exactly where he wants it. But, of course, all of that comes with its own challenges, especially for Coleman.

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Areas where Bills' Keon Coleman might still struggle

It's a well-known fact that rookie receivers often struggle with the nuances of route running against NFL-level secondaries, and Keon Coleman is no exception.

He may require some time to build momentum with Allen beyond the deep shot. Moreover, areas like consistency on timing routes and creating separation on quick patterns will demand growth.

Nevertheless, vertical threat is often the most plug-and-play role a receiver can assume, and Coleman was born to embrace it.

Well, for Week 1, the expectations are clear. Coleman doesn’t need to become Diggs in terms of targets or efficiency. Instead, what Buffalo need most from him is gravity. One that tilts defenses, punishes single coverage and makes Allen’s job easier.

Given that Coleman succeeds in a couple of explosive plays, the Bills could protect themselves against opponents' schemes.