What’s Really Behind The Corey Coleman Trade To The Bills

Recently, the Cleveland Browns traded wide receiver Corey Coleman to the Buffalo Bills for a 2020 seventh round draft pick. While it’s way to early to have plans for the pick, it brings up the question, why did Cleveland trade the former first round pick? It also raises the question about what’s next for the Browns and if there will be anymore trades.

Let’s start with why the trade itself. Buffalo has an intriguing wide receiving core that could be hit or miss. Zay Jones was one of the promising rookie wide receiver last year but couldn’t find his footing, finishing with 316 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Add Jeremy Kerley, who hasn’t had a season with more than 850 yards or three touchdowns alongside Kelvin Benjamin and there’s an intriguing receiver room. The only thing that Buffalo may be weary about is the common complaint of Coleman’s work ethic.

Early in camp, Cleveland’s offensive coordinator Todd Haley had laid into Coleman about finishing plays and questioned his ethic. There’s also some questions about his health and his ability to catch. If those can be ironed out, this could be an under the radar trade to have watched.

For Cleveland meanwhile, it opens up the question of who the number two receiver will be. In the next week or two, different ideas could open up.

If Cleveland stays in house, Rashard Higgins would more than likely be the favorite early on. Following a huge game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final game of the season last year where he had 68 yards and two touchdowns, he’s worked effortlessly to improve. He’s even managed to work out with Cleveland’s rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield to build chemistry for when he inevitably takes over.

The other popular option would be rookie Antonio Callaway. A fourth round pick who fell because of problems in school, Callaway has been nothing short of impressive in camp. The in house options themselves seem nice, however there’s a possibility of someone lurking outside.

Cleveland has also been linked to former Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant. While much hasn’t come out in recent weeks, general manager John Dorsey has been somewhat of a silent killer.

Nobody heard a single peep in a trade for then Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor or the trade that sent quarterback DeShone Kizer to the Green Bay Packers. Given how much the speculation has cooled down, it’s probably unlikely anything is going on but the thought could be in mind for this.

This trade wasn’t quite the blockbuster some football fans were waiting for in the preseason but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t a big trade. With everything going on, sometimes the smallest moves can make the biggest differences.

Only time will tell who this move favors, if anyone, but it will always make the news when a former first round pick is on the move.