The AFC Championship Game put a bow on the Bills’ season with some ugly symmetry. This year started full of hope and optimism, just like it does for every team during the NFL Draft.

For the Bills, who made a draft night trade with the Chiefs, the move is looking very bad for general manager Brandon Beane. Buffalo had a chance to draft wide receiver Xavier Worthy, but apparently didn’t want him. They sent the pick to the Chiefs, who moved up to take Worthy, and Buffalo eventually selected wide receiver Keon Coleman.

The two look worlds apart at the moment.

Worthy led all receivers in the game in receiving yards, including a preposterous wrestling grab down the field on a play that was challenged by Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott and upheld. He has showcased his burst and his route running ability, along with the pure athleticism that makes him such a dangerous threat. Not only that, but as his rookie season went on, he proved to have the trust of Patrick Mahomes.

I was in Detroit at the 2024 NFL Draft when the Bills were on the clock with the 28th overall pick. I wanted them to take Worthy, a blazing fast and technical wide receiver with good hands that I thought would give Buffalo a downfield threat that they were lacking. Then the “TRADE” graphic flashed on the screen.

“Anybody but the Chiefs,” I whispered to myself. Then the stage was bathed in red and gold.

The string of profanities that followed was a long one.

The trade, on the surface, was a good one. The Bills clearly had a player in mind, and they added a third round pick to move back from 28 to 32. That’s a great return.

The problem is the players that they were targeting didn’t make a difference. Coleman finished the AFC Championship Game with one catch for four yards. He was a non-factor. Meanwhile, Worthy, was the most productive and explosive wide receiver on the field. Oh, and DeWayne Carter, who Beane used the extra third round pick on, was a healthy scratch.

The Worthy for Coleman swap looks bad in year one, especially with Worthy sending the Bills to their offseason. Hopefully Coleman can make this trade look a little better in year two.