WIDE RECEIVER COLEMAN DEALT BY BROWNS TO BUFFALO
The Browns warned wide BEREA— receiver Corey Coleman he had entered make-or-break territory.
As it turns out, he won’t have a chance to make it in Cleveland during the upcoming season because there has been a clean break. On Sunday night, the Browns announced they traded Coleman to the Buffalo Bills for an undisclosed draft pick. NFL Network reported the compensation is a late-round selection.
Former Browns head of football operations Sashi Brown drafted Coleman 15th overall in 2016 after passing on Philadelphia Eagles franchise quarterback Carson Wentz by trading down from No. 2, and, later, moving down from No. 8 in a separate deal.
Coleman was plagued by injuries and disappointing production in his first two seasons.
He had been on thin ice since general manager John Dorsey succeeded Brown in December, and just to make sure everyone knew it, new offensive coordinator Todd Haley said on June 14 Coleman would be entering a make-or-break season.
When training camp opened on July 26, Coleman conceded he may have reached a crossroads.
“If I don’t do what I’ve got to do, changes [are] going to be made,” he said. “I don’t know what type of changes, but some need to be made.”
After Coleman became the first receiver chosen in his draft class two years ago, the Baylor University product suffered a broken right
hand in back-to-back seasons and missed 13 games as a result. In 19 games, 18 of which he started, Coleman caught 56 passes for 718 yards and five touchdowns.
Coleman, 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, had issues off the field, too. He was accused of assault last year before prosecutors declined to file charges. Also, the Browns sent Coleman home from Houston last Octoberfor missing their curfew the night before a game.
The Browns effectively put Coleman on notice by picking receiver Antonio Callaway in the fourth round of April’s draft. Dorsey explained he considers Callaway a first-round talent who was available on the third day of the draft because of his off-field baggage.
After a shaky start to training camp, Coleman strung several good practices together. But he didn’t participate much in Saturday’s session, and coach Hue Jackson said Coleman, who has a history of soft-tissue injuries, had a sore hamstring. The Browns were off practice Sunday, but Dorsey kept busy by shipping Coleman away.
The trade indicates Dorsey isn’t kidding about his stated belief that former All-Pro receiver Josh Gordon will return to the Browns. On July 23, Gordon announced he would miss the start of training camp because he needed to focus on his “overall health and treatment plan.” Gordon served suspensions for most of the past three seasons because of recurring violations of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.
In Gordon’s absence, Coleman had been slated to start opposite three-time Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry with Callaway serving as the No. 3 receiver. Now Callaway is set to join Landry in the starting lineup. Rashard Higgins will likely become the No. 3 receiver.
The lasting memory of Coleman will be him dropping a fourthdown pass that sealed the Browns’ 0-16 season Dec. 31 in Pittsburgh.