Pegula indicated that the coaching staff pushed to draft Coleman and suggested Brandon Beane might not have selected him as his first choice, framing the pick as a team decision under scrutiny. He stressed that Beane had taken heat for the selection, though he defended the coaching staff’s judgment.
At Brady’s introductory press conference, the new head coach delivered a clear message to Coleman: he believes in him and was among those who fought for him. Brady said Coleman’s path to success will depend on how he handles off-field responsibilities, but he has confidence in his ability.
Josh Allen echoed Brady’s optimism, stating he won’t give up on Coleman and that the Bills will work to integrate him into the winning equation. The quarterback stressed that Coleman’s talent remains evident and worth developing as Buffalo looks to improve its receiver corps.
Coleman was one of college football’s top deep threats at Florida State and excels at winning contested catches, but his NFL track record includes multiple healthy scratches. A source told The Athletic that Coleman was initially taken aback by Pegula’s comments before refocusing on improving for Year 3.
Looking ahead, the Bills face a Reed-Receiver offseason with Gabe Davis and Brandin Cooks hitting free agency, and Curtis Samuel potentially being cut for cap relief. With a projected cap bump of about $6 million to $7.78 million depending on pre- or post-June 1 status, Coleman could see increased opportunity to compete for playing time with Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer if Brady’s early stance translates into more usage.
