Bills and Chiefs rookie WRs linked to draft day trade meet after Week 11

On By Littum

It’s been a talking point since the first night of the 2024 NFL Draft: “How did the Buffalo Bills let the Kansas City Chiefs get Xavier Worthy?”

Buffalo entered night one with the 28th overall selection and a dire need for an impact pass-catcher after parting ways with both Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis earlier in the offseason. As the Bills went on the clock late Thursday night, general manager Brandon Beane opted to trade the pick to the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that has eliminated Buffalo from the playoffs in three of the last four seasons. The Bills got a third-round draft pick to drop a few spots, while the Chiefs got the opportunity to select Worthy, a Texas speedster who had just broken the record for the fastest 40-yard dash in NFL Scouting Combine history.

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Buffalo would ultimately trade out of the first round entirely before selecting Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman in the second round, using the third round pick it acquired from Kansas City on Duke defensive tackle DeWayne Carter. And while there has been discussion about Worthy and Coleman since the Bills’ in-draft maneuvers, it’s safe to say that both teams got what they were looking for in the deal, as both Worthy and Coleman look like genuine long-term offensive contributors for their respective clubs. The value of Carter cannot be understated either.

While fans will always talk about Worthy and Coleman in the same conversation, the ‘hostility’ doesn’t extend to the rookies themselves, as Worthy gave the Buffalo pass catcher his autographed jersey after the Bills’ Week 11 win over the Chiefs; Coleman did not suit up for the game due to a wrist injury.

This was Coleman’s second straight game missed due to his wrist injury, and the team is keeping its fingers crossed that he can return after the bye week. The 21-year-old currently ranks second on the Bills in receiving yards with 417, posting this total on 22 receptions with three touchdowns. Worthy, meanwhile, has 25 receptions for 307 yards and four touchdowns through 10 games; however, he has another 44 yards rushing and two more touchdowns. He contributed four receptions, 61 yards and a touchdown in the Bills’ 30-21 victory.

Keon Colema

Gregory Fisher-Imagn pictures

The draft day trade will forever link Coleman and Worthy, regardless of whether said link is fair or not, as there is no indication that Buffalo chose Coleman over Worthy or whether the Longhorns receiver was even on his radar. Fans of both teams will continue to debate the merits of the deal, who won and who lost. However, the players respect each other and do not have the same level of fan discourse among themselves. It’s okay to like both players and understand that both the Bills and Chiefs made the choices they felt were best for them in the short and long term.

And both choices have paid off so far; Kansas City is 9-1 as the Bills enter their Week 12 bye with a 9-2 record, their best start since 1992. The bye also comes at a good time when the Bills are nursing a few injuries to key players, Coleman among them . Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters last week that the team is not considering placing the rookie on injured reserve, meaning he could be in line to return shortly after their bye week.

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