NFL
Browns Trade Corey Coleman To Bills
In a shocking move, former Browns WR Corey Coleman was traded from the Browns to the Bills on Sunday. The Browns will receive a conditional 7th round pick in 2020 in return, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Compensation update: Cleveland traded former first-round pick, WR Corey Coleman, to the Buffalo Bills for a seventh-round pick in 2020, per league source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 6, 2018
This is a meager return for a player the Browns previously used a first-round draft pick on. The Coleman trade has major implications for both teams. as the Browns are cutting bait with the former 15th overall pick. The Browns are admitting yet another draft bust in their long line of first round picks. The Bills, on the other hand, were in desperate need of help at the wide receiver position. The Bills found no viable option in free agency and found that a trade would be the best route. This is a relatively low risk move for the Bills, as they are able to take a flier on a player with potential upside.
What This Trade Means For The Browns
This move shows that the Browns have confidence in a wide receiver core centered around Josh Gordon, slot threat Jarvis Landry, and high risk 2018 4th round pick Antonio Callaway. Callaway is player with massive upside with very high risk. Callaway ran into trouble multiple times during his career at the university of Florida. His arrests stem from sexual assault charges, marijuana possession and a credit card fraud scheme. The Browns are also relying on another high risk player in Josh Gordon who is currently away from the team to deal with his health. This trade will now allow players such as Rashard Higgins and Callaway to step up and claim larger roles. Another speculated option is that the Browns will bring in former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant. This would be another shocking move, but could create one of the best wide receiver corps in the NFL.
What This Trade Means For The Bills
The Bills were considered to have one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL before this trade. The Bills were relying on red zone threat Kelvin Benjamin to lead, with players such as 2nd round flop Zay Jones and career journeyman Jeremy Kerley to compliment Benjamin. The corps was devoid of talent and, with the addition of Coleman, have received a slight boost. Coleman will now line up opposite Benjamin and use his speed to keep the defense honest. This will likely relegate Kerley to a 4th receiver role, with Jones playing more in the slot. Although Coleman has never lived up to his potential as a starting receiver in the NFL, there is no question that he has the talent to be successful. A fresh start with the Bills could help him have a breakout year. The only limiting factor for the Bills will be quarterback play. The Bills will trot out some combination of career Andy Dalton backup AJ McCarron, Nathan “5 interceptions-in-a-half” Peterman, or 1st round pick Josh Allen. None of these players inspire a whole lot of confidence.
Corey Coleman Profile
Corey Coleman was a 4-star recruit coming out of college and committed to play for Baylor. He broke out during his sophomore year posting 64 catches, 1119 yards, and 11 touchdowns. Coleman blossomed even more during his junior season where he posted 74 catches, 1363 yards, and a staggering 20 touchdowns. He was in the midst of Heisman-like campaign before injury sidelined him for Baylor’s Bowl game. Coleman chose to forgo his final college season and declare for the draft. The Browns took Coleman with the 15th overall pick. Coleman was disappointing to say the least during his first years in the league, posting only 56 catches, 718 yards, and 5 touchdowns in two years. It has also been a struggle for Coleman to stay healthy as he has only played 19 out of 32 games in his career.