Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen on rookie Keon Coleman: ‘What we needed in our offense’

While the Buffalo Bills have signed several players to replace outgoing receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, rookie Keon Coleman – who Buffalo traded twice to ultimately select with the No. 33 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft – is arguably their most crucial choice, given his youth.

The player whose passes Coleman will catch, Josh Allen, praises the rookie receiver.

“I think his style of play (is) what we needed in our offense,” Allen said on Thursday’s edition of NFL Network’s “The Insiders.” “I talked with our offensive coordinator (Joe Brady), our quarterbacks coach (Ronald Curry), (general manager) Brandon Beane and obviously coach (Sean) McDermott, a tough guy who can win on his back .-shoulder is fading and I’m not afraid to be a physical wide receiver.

“I think you pair him with some of the guys we have in our room right now. I think Mack Hollins has been a really good addition so far to this room with his mentality, his mindset is contagious for the others. Curtis Samuel, he’s been showing up every day ready to work… You start pairing those guys with Dawson (Knox) and Coleman in that mix now we’re going to have a pretty solid group working. together.

Coleman totaled 50 receptions for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns (13.2 yards per reception) at Florida State in 2023. He spent the previous two seasons (2021-22) at Michigan State.

Hollins, Samuel, Chase Claypool and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are among the other receivers Buffalo added this offseason.

Hollins is a year removed from totaling a career-high 57 receptions for 690 yards and four touchdowns; Samuel has totaled over 62 receptions for over 600 yards and four touchdowns in each of the last two seasons; Claypool was a former second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers and racked up nine receiving touchdowns during his 2020 rookie campaign; Valdes-Scantling is coming off back-to-back Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Buffalo’s leading receiver from last season, Khalil Shakir, emerged throughout the streak, finishing with 39 receptions for 611 yards and two touchdowns. Elsewhere, rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid had 73 receptions, while running back James Cook had 44 receptions for 445 yards and four touchdowns, simultaneously rushing for 1,122 yards on 4.7 yards per carry.

Josh Allen expects ‘a battle’ when Bills face Aaron Rodgers, NY Jets

Buffalo averaged 244.4 passing yards per game last season, good for eighth in the NFL. The Bills are coming off their fourth straight AFC East title, but were eliminated in the AFC divisional round for the third straight season.

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