Here’s why Bills GM Brandon Beane was happy that Keon Coleman disappointed in the 40-yard dash

At the NFL Scouting Combine, one of the events that gets the most attention is the 40-yard dash. It’s an easy sell, and for the most part, it’s easy to tell what constitutes a good performance or a bad one. 

Relative to expectations, Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman’s performance in the 40 was disappointing, as he clocked in at just 4.61 seconds. One person who was happy about that, though, is the one who eventually selected him in the NFL Draft: Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane.

Talking to assistant general manager Brian Gaine and director of player personnel Terrance Gray after Coleman’s dash, Beane said, “I’m glad he ran that. It’ll help to get him.”

And they did get him. The Bills ended up trading back multiple times, dropping from No. 28 overall to No. 32 in a trade with the rival Kansas City Chiefs, then moving back again to No. 33 in a deal with the Carolina Panthers. With the first pick of Day 2, they tabbed Coleman.

Despite the 40 time, Beane is confident that the wideout has plenty of speed.

“He’s a guy whose got play speed, he’s got short-area quickness for a big guy,” Beane said. “We all know, some guys, they can run the track time, but that’s where the mental part comes into it, too. I always say if you run 4.3 but you’re not smart, you’ll never play 4.3.”

Buffalo is in the process of remaking its pass-catching corps, and Coleman should play a significant role in that effort. The Bills allowed Gabe Davis to leave in free agency, then traded Stefon Diggs to the Texans for a second-round pick. With Coleman, tight end Dalton Kincaid, and receivers Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins, Josh Allen will have an entirely different group of targets than the one he has grown used to. It might take a while to come together, but the Bills are clearly moving into the next phase of the Allen era.