Bust or Breakout: Can Keon Coleman make an "Eric Moulds" style great leap forward

[finn]

20 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

This is a fair take and I agree with your core point for sure.  I do still think there are more opportunities to get Keon the ball that we either haven't taken or we just are not using him in a way to do so.  

 

I want to see more slants, comebacks crossers, etc.  I will also say this, many of the passes Allen attempted to get to Keon on those back shoulder throws or "50/50" balls have been poorly thrown and put in places that greatly reduced the chances to complete.  Allen often throws them with the wrong trajectory, puts in a harder to catch spot, or in a place where the defender can easily disrupt or defend.  

 

So if we are going to run those back shoulder or 50/50 balls as often as they have tried to do them, then Allen, Brady, Keon, etc need to study how other tandems do it well and consistently.  Like study Davante Adams both with Rodgers and Stafford for example.  We as a whole have been trying to execute these poorly, and its both issues with Allen, the play design and Keon.  We just do not execute these attempts with any consistency that will raise conversion probability.  And I am not putting it all on Allen, plenty of times Keon also didn't do his part properly too.  But its a collaborative failure between poorly thrown balls, poor play design, and poor execution by Keon.  

Yes, Allen doesn't get enough blame for his part on missed throws. Although he's done miracles with his accuracy overall, he's still no Brady or Marino, whose ball placement were things of beauty. I wouldn't say Allen is inaccurate by any means, but his strengths lie elsewhere. 

 

What I don't get is why his receivers can't get open even when Allen buys them enormous amounts of time. You see them out there running INTO coverage or just jogging around aimlessly. How hard can it be to run to the open field or come back to your quarterback or just sprint upfield? 

[Cash]

39 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

This is a fair take and I agree with your core point for sure.  I do still think there are more opportunities to get Keon the ball that we either haven't taken or we just are not using him in a way to do so.  

 

I want to see more slants, comebacks crossers, etc.  I will also say this, many of the passes Allen attempted to get to Keon on those back shoulder throws or "50/50" balls have been poorly thrown and put in places that greatly reduced the chances to complete.  Allen often throws them with the wrong trajectory, puts in a harder to catch spot, or in a place where the defender can easily disrupt or defend.  

 

So if we are going to run those back shoulder or 50/50 balls as often as they have tried to do them, then Allen, Brady, Keon, etc need to study how other tandems do it well and consistently.  Like study Davante Adams both with Rodgers and Stafford for example.  We as a whole have been trying to execute these poorly, and its both issues with Allen, the play design and Keon.  We just do not execute these attempts with any consistency that will raise conversion probability.  And I am not putting it all on Allen, plenty of times Keon also didn't do his part properly too.  But its a collaborative failure between poorly thrown balls, poor play design, and poor execution by Keon.  

Totally agree with this. Most of the “50/50” balls sent Keon’s way this year have been setting him up for failure. As the poster you were responding to said, he’s good at climbing the ladder. But from memory I can’t think of a throw where Allen put it up high and gave Coleman a chance to box out and get the rebound. They’ve mostly been low trajectory and arriving somewhere between hips and shoulders. 

[billsfan714]

Keon doesn't have near the athleticism of Moulds, so the answer is no.

[BUFFALOBART]

I had high hopes for Coleman, based on flashes during his rook campaign. He 'changed', after Poyer leveled him. 

Discipline issues aside, he seems to be a little bit more, than a one-trick pony. 

 

[SoonerBillsFan]

Bottom line Coleman isnt nearly as fast or football athletic as Moulds.  I dont care Coleman played basketball, he just isnt asgood a player.

[SoMAn]

no

[Alphadawg7]

8 hours ago, finn said:

Yes, Allen doesn't get enough blame for his part on missed throws. Although he's done miracles with his accuracy overall, he's still no Brady or Marino, whose ball placement were things of beauty. I wouldn't say Allen is inaccurate by any means, but his strengths lie elsewhere. 

 

What I don't get is why his receivers can't get open even when Allen buys them enormous amounts of time. You see them out there running INTO coverage or just jogging around aimlessly. How hard can it be to run to the open field or come back to your quarterback or just sprint upfield? 

That is the real big difference right now IMO is that this iteration of the WR room doesn’t seem to be able to do much on the scramble drill when Allen buys time.  It’s such a big part of Allen’s game too, and I think it’s a big part of what the staff is unhappy with about Keons effort consistency, like he doesn’t seem to really push himself in those moments.  

[mannc]

To answer the OP, I think the answer is yes.  I’m thinking more Davante Adams (terrible his first two years) than Moulds.

[Alphadawg7]

8 hours ago, Cash said:

Totally agree with this. Most of the “50/50” balls sent Keon’s way this year have been setting him up for failure. As the poster you were responding to said, he’s good at climbing the ladder. But from memory I can’t think of a throw where Allen put it up high and gave Coleman a chance to box out and get the rebound. They’ve mostly been low trajectory and arriving somewhere between hips and shoulders. 

Exactly, and look I love Allen as much as anyone, but one area he has really struggled with this year overall is ball placement and touch.  Too many times he throwing passes on a line instead with the arc and touch to get over defenders on what would be big gains, even TDs on better thrown passes.  
 

And on those 50/50 ones you are spot on, he’s doing the same thing there too often.  Keon doesn’t get a pass, I feel like on some of throws Keon didn’t play the ball well either - in fact at times it’s like he doesn’t understand it’s meant to be a back shoulder pass and keeps running downfield allowing the defender to stay engaged to defend rather than realize he needs to come back at the ball and box out the defender from the pass.  But many have just been poorly placed or bad trajectory by Allen from the get go too.

[T master]

On 11/7/2025 at 6:42 PM, ChicagoRic said:

I remember when Moulds came into the league...his production was frankly brutal.  

 

Although his numbers are better than what Moulds put up in year 1 and 2, Coleman is clearly struggling.  Is it just a matter of "waiting for the penny to drop" to reach greater potential, or is he truly a bust?

That would be one hell of a jump and would be very welcomed but all we can do is hope and pray that it happens, Moulds was a beast and his type of production was historic not to mention the other options that may have helped him flourish .

 

I hope Coleman can just become a above average WR for the team but possibly the best way for him to learn s to go with Shakir in the off season and have Moulds himself teach him the things he learned as a young player to become the guy he was .

 

Man wouldn't that be something if we had a player that could be a Moulds type with a QB like Josh - OMG !!! 

[H2o]

So, we're blaming Allen for Keon's lack of production now?  Is Allen perfect all the time? No. Can Allen make some adjustments? Sure. But too many times it seems he and Coleman are not on the same page. Allen tries to throw a back shoulder pass to shield from the defender making a play, and give Keon an opportunity, but Keon isn't on the same mental plane as his QB. He seems unprepared for it, or runs elsewhere. 8 times out of 10, he can't shake the defender, no matter the route. You can only chuck a ball to a guy who doesn't produce so many times. He's also screwing up behind the scenes as well, not doing the things he should as a professional. That's why he found himself inactive. He will never be Eric Moulds. Our best hope is he can be a Gabe Davis type of producer, but even Gabe was more athletic before the injuries. 

[ChicagoRic]

Coleman's lack of effort today was telling.

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

Absolutely not. 

[Livinginthepast]

The Bengals ran a clinic today on the type of pass that Keon should be catching. Keon today ran a clinic on half hearted route running, vague effort and I'm getting paid win or lose. Its maddening to watch someone who could be so much better with a change of attitude, not even attempt to change his attitude.

[DJB]

Coleman is going right back to the pine the moment Palmer gets healthy 

[Alphadawg7]

2 hours ago, ChicagoRic said:

Coleman's lack of effort today was telling.

 

2 hours ago, Livinginthepast said:

The Bengals ran a clinic today on the type of pass that Keon should be catching. Keon today ran a clinic on half hearted route running, vague effort and I'm getting paid win or lose. Its maddening to watch someone who could be so much better with a change of attitude, not even attempt to change his attitude.

I came here to say this too.  He looked like he was running at half speed every play as if he was trying to make the DB slow down and then try and run by him or something.  I don’t know what it was, but he looked like he was jogging out there.  
 

My hope for Keon is starting to fade with each passing week.  I still feel there’s been missed opportunities to get him the ball, poorly placed throws on some of those back shoulder or 50/50 tosses, and a lot of misuse by Brady.

 

But effort is all on him, and he of can’t find a way to play harder, play faster, and smarter when he is out there, he won’t be here next year, at least he shouldn’t be.

Edited 9 hours ago by Alphadawg7

[DuckyBoys]

the lack of 100% effort once again means he should have a uphill battle to even get a roster spot next year

[JMM]

He just looks very very unmotivated. I have no idea what is going on with him, but is clearly unhappy. 

[CincyBillsFan]

7 hours ago, H2o said:

So, we're blaming Allen for Keon's lack of production now?  Is Allen perfect all the time? No. Can Allen make some adjustments? Sure. But too many times it seems he and Coleman are not on the same page. Allen tries to throw a back shoulder pass to shield from the defender making a play, and give Keon an opportunity, but Keon isn't on the same mental plane as his QB. He seems unprepared for it, or runs elsewhere. 8 times out of 10, he can't shake the defender, no matter the route. You can only chuck a ball to a guy who doesn't produce so many times. He's also screwing up behind the scenes as well, not doing the things he should as a professional. That's why he found himself inactive. He will never be Eric Moulds. Our best hope is he can be a Gabe Davis type of producer, but even Gabe was more athletic before the injuries. 

Shavers made a great back shoulder catch today!  

 

 

55 minutes ago, DJB said:

Coleman is going right back to the pine the moment Palmer gets healthy 

His sloppy route running almost cost the Bills an INT in the first half.  Olsen sounded disgusted when he pointed out how lazy Coleman came out of his break.

 

 

[vincec]

1 hour ago, Livinginthepast said:

The Bengals ran a clinic today on the type of pass that Keon should be catching. Keon today ran a clinic on half hearted route running, vague effort and I'm getting paid win or lose. It’s maddening to watch someone who could be so much better with a change of attitude, not even attempt to change his attitude.

Coleman isn’t half the player that Higgins is.