When the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs struck a deal during the 2024 NFL Draft, it had all the makings of a pivotal AFC power play. The Chiefs moved up a few spots to grab Xavier Worthy, a burner with game-breaking speed.
The Bills slid down and took Keon Coleman, a big-bodied receiver with contested-catch ability and red zone upside. On paper, it looked like a win-win - two promising young wideouts heading to two of the league’s most dynamic offenses, each with elite quarterbacks ready to elevate their games.
Here’s how the trade broke down:
Buffalo received: Picks No. 32, 95, and 221
Kansas City received: Picks No. 28, 133, and 248
The spotlight was squarely on Worthy vs. Coleman - two receivers, two AFC contenders, one draft-night chess move. Fast forward two seasons, and the early returns haven’t exactly lived up to the hype.
Let’s start with Worthy. The Chiefs were clearly betting on his speed and explosiveness, and as a rookie, he flashed exactly that.
He had moments - the kind that make you sit up and take notice - but consistency was a different story. Year two?
That step forward never really came. The flashes were fewer, the impact plays more sporadic.
He’s still got the wheels, but the route refinement and physicality needed to thrive in KC’s system haven’t quite followed.
Then there’s Coleman in Buffalo. His second season was, frankly, rough.
He struggled to stay on the field, and when he did, the production wasn’t there. Multiple benchings highlighted a year that never got off the ground.
For a receiver who came in with high expectations as a physical mismatch, the lack of development has been frustrating for Bills fans hoping to see him become a reliable target alongside Josh Allen.
And just to twist the knife a bit - the very next wide receiver off the board after that trade? Ladd McConkey, who went to the Chargers and has looked like a more polished, NFL-ready receiver from day one. That’s the kind of "what-if" that lingers in draft rooms and fan forums alike.
Right now, if you had to place a bet, Worthy seems like the better bet to turn things around. He’s shown more flashes, and his raw tools still give coaches something to work with. But both players remain projects - talented, yes, but far from finished products.
This was supposed to be a defining draft moment between two AFC heavyweights. Instead, it’s shaping up to be a swing and a miss - for both sides.
There’s still time, of course. Development in the NFL isn’t always linear.
But two years in, the Worthy-Coleman trade hasn’t tilted the balance of power in the conference. If anything, it’s a reminder that even the best-laid draft plans can fall flat when potential doesn’t meet production.