Bills rookie WR Keon Coleman isn’t taking anything for granted

Buffalo Bills second-round rookie receiver Keon Coleman took over to finish the first week of training camp in 2024. Right off the bat, Coleman was asked how his first camp has gone so far, and he said, “It’s been fun. The last five days — five days, right? Something like that, yeah, just, you know, getting back into that rhythm of the game, hearing the calls in the huddle, going out there and executing, having fun with the guys. So, it’s been great.”

When asked what his favorite part is, Coleman said, “catching touchdowns,” which has enchanted fans throughout camp. Of the fans and their enthusiastic response to him each day, Coleman said, “I mean, I’m grateful, you know. Grateful to be a fan favorite and you know, I just hope to come out on the field and put on a show and execute, and, you know, do my job on the field.”

In response to the idea that new offensive coordinator Joe Brady doesn’t really classify receiver positions and instead focuses on concepts, Coleman said: “I’m used to playing everything, there’s no x, y or z, you have to stand out. They call you a receiver, not any receiver. You just have to be able to stand out. And it’s hard to learn the playbook just trying to learn a position because you can easily be on the other side of the field in the slot, outside, inside, you could be moved around in the slot, different things like that. So I learn a playbook conceptually, so I learn concept by concept, and I learn each spot so I can be anywhere.”

Coleman was asked where he feels right now in learning the team’s offensive playbook, and he said, “I feel pretty confident. When I’m in the huddle, hearing the calls, I can execute my job and do what I need to do.”

On his chemistry with quarterback Josh Allen, Coleman said, “I feel good, you know, we’re in a good position to say we’re five days into training camp, so hopefully it’ll continue to get better.” Adding to what Coleman has learned about Allen in recent months, he said, “He’s probably goofier than I am. Honestly, my brother is like a big kid, he likes to have fun. And you know when it’s time to get on the field, we’re going to work.”

Looking back on training camp, Coleman said, “I didn’t spend a lot of time in the dorms in college, but it’s like everyone’s in the same space, so you go into the lobby on your floor, you get to see the guys, hang out with them, play the game, do fun stuff, just be ourselves.” Coleman later said, “I don’t even play the games, I just watch. I have my own game going on — I’ll goof off at everybody while they’re playing.”

When asked who had the best dorm layout, Coleman said he didn’t go into anyone’s room: “…that’s why we have the lobby, I’m not trying to go into your room, it’s your private space.”

On what he’s learned from some of the veteran receivers in the room, Coleman said: “… understanding defenses more, what they’re trying to do schematically. How to get off the line, different clearing tricks here and there. Pretty much all the things they know if they’ve been in the league that long. So every day I’m just learning something new trying to get 1 percent better and trying that here and there, trying to implement some of the things they’re good at into my game.”

Hearing a bit about Coleman’s X’s and Y’s, he broke down a 7-on-7 touchdown play by noting, “So I had a fade slot and I just did my job, I hit the bottom of the numbers. And it just so happened that Rasul (Douglas) was halfway through and I got into his blind spot and he didn’t know where I was, so it was just wide open.”

Hear all that and more from Keon Coleman, including why his head isn’t spinning as a rookie, embedded below.