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Patriots sign former Browns first-round WR Corey Coleman, per report

The Patriots are keeping their wide receiver room fluid, signing former Browns first-rounder Corey Coleman.
Credit: Mark Konezny, USA TODAY Sports
WR Corey Coleman only spent a few weeks with the Bills this summer.

(USA TODAY Sports) — It's starting to feel like the New England Patriots are determined to make at least one wide receiver transaction per week.

The latest to get an extended audition will be former Browns first-round pick Corey Coleman, according to NFL Network.

In case you skipped Hard Knocks, Coleman was traded to the Bills this summer after two disappointing seasons in Cleveland but did not make Buffalo's 53-man roster. He'd recently worked out for the Eagles and Cardinals.

Signing Coleman is a low-risk proposition for New England, though a puzzling one in some respects. Hard Knocks documented his outburst in coach Hue Jackson's office, when he demanded to be dealt if he wasn't going to start. (Coleman's wish was granted, though it would have been fun to see him pull that with Bill Belichick).

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Coleman had not been adapting to new Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley's offense and, in fact, couldn't even identify his own Air Jordan models despite being a self-proclaimed shoe aficionado.

Details, Corey — they are supremely important in New England.

Coleman caught 56 passes for 718 yards and five scores in two injury-riddled seasons in Cleveland. He was a highly productive player at Baylor before being drafted 15th overall in 2016. But he's not the first player to struggle mightily while attempting to transition from Baylor's spreads offense to the NFL.

The Patriots are churning through receivers during Julian Edelman's four-game suspension for violating the NFL's PED policy. Only nine of Tom Brady's 26 completions in Sunday's win against Houston went to wideouts (7 to Phillip Dorsett). Chris Hogan remains a fixture, and Cordarrelle Patterson is trying to find a role. Matthew Slater's value remains on special teams.

Since their Super Bowl LII loss in February, the Patriots have traded Brandin Cooks, allowed Danny Amendola to leave in free agency, released Malcolm Mitchell and Kenny Britt, dealt for Patterson, drafted Braxton Berrios (now on IR), and signed (and released) Jordan Matthews and retired Eric Decker, among several other moves.

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