For the second year in a row, Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane traded for a former first round wide receiver to bolster the team’s aerial attack. This time, the choice was former Cleveland Brown Corey Coleman. The Bills sent a 2020 7th-round draft pick as compensation.

The @buffalobills have agreed to terms to acquire WR Corey Coleman from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for undisclosed future draft pick. Learn more about the Bills newest wideout: pic.twitter.com/UQhcXC9m88 — Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) August 6, 2018

The former Baylor Bear was highly successful at the collegiate level, amassing 173 receptions, 3009 yards and 33 TDs in 34 appearances during his three-year career. He was the first Baylor WR to put up back to back 1000-yard seasons, becoming a two time All-American and a Biletnikoff Award (nation’s best receiver) winner in 2015.

At 5’11” and 194 lbs, Coleman had a great combine with a 4.39 40-yard dash, 40.5″ vertical jump and 11’3″ broad jump. The combination of elite athleticism and collegiate production made him the 15th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

In his two seasons as a pro with the Cleveland Browns, Coleman never could reproduce the type of success he had at Baylor, struggling with injuries.

Something Coleman has to work on: His hand usage once he creates that two way go. Too often gets hung up when DB counters. A good forearm pull/wipe of hands would create SOO much more separation for him… https://t.co/xisMx2tWQf — Cover 1 (@Cover_1_) August 6, 2018

Coleman was still very raw as a receiver even though he was drafted early. He needs to work on the finer points of being a NFL receiver.

2016-Understanding down and distance, processing the coverage, leverage and technique the CB is going to play w, is extremely important. CC failed to recognize the Tampa 2 coverage, & fails to work across the face of the defnder. Nearly picked..Overall, he is raw, but has upside. pic.twitter.com/85u4vJzys7 — Cover 1 (@Cover_1_) August 6, 2018

He missed the first two preseason games in his rookie year because of a hamstring injury, and just few days after his second game, in which he had 5 receptions for 104 yards and 2 TDs against the Baltimore Ravens, he suffered a broken hand and missed the following six weeks.

In 2017, it was more of the same. Coleman broke the same hand in week two and needed surgery. He missed the next eight weeks and never played consistently enough to justify his lofty draft status. His last play as a Brown always will be remembered as the drop that clinched the 0-16 season.

With the Browns adding former Miami Dolphin Jarvis Landry via trade and counting heavily on a comeback season from Josh Gordon, Coleman became expendable. He’s a playmaker with the ball in his hands, has speed to burn on deep routes, and has the suddenness and quickness to create separation on any route. He has better size and bulk than what you’d expect from someone with his skillset, but his issues with drops are well documented since his college days, making him a frustrating player to root for.

Coleman comes to Buffalo as the perfect compliment, at least on paper, to the Bills’ number one WR, Kelvin Benjamin. It’ll be really interesting to see how offensive coordinator Brian Daboll plans to utilize his new weapon. He can stretch the field vertically playing outside, but also run underneath routes from the slot, with big-bodied guys like Benjamin and Charles Clay being utilized on vertical routes to clear the way for him. He also has the ability to take screen passes all the way to the endzone and adds talent to a lackluster WR room.

This move was a no-brainer for the Bills. They add a talented former first rounder in a position of need, spending a day three pick in a draft two years from now. Coleman is entering the third year of his four-year rookie deal and has the skillset and potential to become one of Josh Allen’s favorite targets. Brandon Beane is making things interesting again, and it’s another move that I really like.

For more thoughts on the Corey Coleman acquisition, check out Erik Turner and Aaron Quinn’s reaction (premium subscribers).

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