The Buffalo Bills are heading into the 2026 campaign with Joe Brady, the author of wide receiver screen passes. Among the Bills’ Mafia, though, the critics believe Buffalo isn’t viewed as having an elite wide receiver group. But when asked directly about those concerns, Brady didn’t dodge them. Instead, he broke down the logic, and in the process, made his plans for WR screens in 2026 clear.

“Screens in general, like running back screens, receiver screens, they don’t always have the highest hit rate,” Brady explained on the Centered On Buffalo Podcast. “They’re usually either really big plays, or they’re not. But they set up so many other things. They put a lot of stress on the defense, making them defend every blade of grass. We have guys that are really good with the ball in their hands.”

The Bills have long faced criticism for leaning too heavily on screen concepts. But rather than shying away from that label, Brady first explained why those plays exist in his offense before expanding.

“I also know that what that did is that helped open up something else that helped us be able to identify one of their pressures and be able to get the protection plan,” he said. “So, there’s a lot of elements that we learn from it regardless of the result of the play. Don’t want to waste plays. But it’s going to be a part of our offense next year.”

The Bills’ passing game has remained a talking point, largely because the roster lacks a clear-cut WR1. Statistically, Buffalo finished the 2025 season ranked 15th in passing yards, averaging 216.6 yards per game with 3,683 total passing yards. That middle-of-the-pack ranking has only fueled the argument that Brady relies heavily on the short passing game.

In 2025, Josh Allen threw 63 screen passes, the sixth-most among quarterbacks, totaling 388 yards, which ranked fifth. However, while Brady openly acknowledges that screens aren’t always high-reward plays, his willingness to stick with them is rooted in what they enable elsewhere in the offense. That approach showed up clearly in Khalil Shakir’s production.

Shakir led the Bills with 719 receiving yards. On paper, it’s surely a modest total for a team’s leading receiver. But his impact came underneath. According to Next Gen Stats, no receiver gained more yards on screen passes in 2025 than Shakir, who finished with 173. He ranked ahead of players like Puka Nacua, Trey McBride, Ja’Marr Chase, and George Pickens.

Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus ranked Shakir second in the league in yards on targets behind the line of scrimmage, trailing only Deebo Samuel. But it’s not just about the statistics. But it’s not just about the statistics, Brady has emphasized how screens help him and the coaching staff understand defensive behavior. From pressure triggers to coverage rotations.

While questions about screen-heavy tendencies persist, Brady has made one thing clear: the Bills aren’t changing course. The wide receivers’ role in 2026 will look a lot like it did in 2025. However, as the Bills prepare for 2026, uncertainty is looming over wideout Keon Coleman. Speculations are heating up that the WR might not return in 2026.

Josh Allen believes that Keon Coleman will come back

The Bills selected Keon Coleman in the second round in 2024, expecting him to grow into a major piece of the offense. That growth, however, has been uneven. Coleman has struggled to consistently make his mark, dealt with disciplinary issues, and has been benched multiple times. Matters didn’t help when owner Terry Pegula referenced Coleman while criticizing the coaching staff’s draft decisions.

All of that, somehow, has fueled speculation about whether Coleman will even be back for a third season in Buffalo. One person who isn’t wavering, though, is Josh Allen. The Bills’ quarterback made it clear he still believes in Coleman and expects him to rebound.

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“He will come back from that,” Allen said. “I’m not going to give up on ‘0.’ He’s got too much ability. I will not give up on him. We’re going to work tirelessly, him and me, as well as everybody else in this building to make sure that whenever we step foot on the field that we’re going to find ways to win football games and he’s going to be a part of that.”

Buffalo hoped Coleman would blossom when they spent a second-round pick on him. Instead, the results have been modest. He finished his rookie season with 29 catches for 556 yards and four touchdowns, then followed that up in 2025 with 38 receptions for 404 yards and four more scores.

Along the way, the benching news turned into a regular occurrence. Still, based on Allen’s confidence, the Bills appear willing to give Coleman another chance to put it all together in 2026. How that plays out will be one of the offseason’s bigger questions.