Getty Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2023.
The Buffalo Bills made a big investment in 2022 when they moved up the draft board in the first round to take cornerback Kaiir Elam, but just over one year later he could be in danger of losing his spot on the depth chart to a recent practice squad call-up — and could even be a trade candidate at the deadline.
Elam moved into a big role quickly with the team his rookie season, starting at cornerback his rookie season while All-Pro Tre’Davious White was out with an ACL tear. But Elam was surpassed by fellow rookie Christian Benford as the year went on and was a healthy scratch through the first four games of this season.
While another season-ending injury to White gave Elam the opportunity to move back into the lineup, he was benched late in his season debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 8 in favor of Ja’Marcus Ingram, who had just been elevated from the practice squad.
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia wrote that Elam could be in danger of finding himself permanently behind Ingram for the rest of the season and could even be a candidate to be traded.
Early Concerns About Kaiir Elam
Buscaglia wrote that the worries of Elam’s abilities stretched back to early in training camp of his rookie season, when he allowed the sixth-round pick Bencord to get ahead of him in the cornerback competition.
“We know how it all unfolded in 2022 from there,” Buscaglia wrote. “But this year has gone a bit worse. [The Athletic’s Tim Graham] mentioned the healthy scratches, and from my perspective watching the film, Elam was the worst Bills player on the field Sunday by a healthy margin.”
Kaiir Elam starts for the #Bills today #BillsMafia
Buscaglia went on to write that Elam’s benching in favor of Ingram could become a permanent change int he depth chart, and the Bills could try to move Elam at the trade deadline.
“[Elam] was a distant fourth on the cornerback depth chart to begin the year, and now he’s in jeopardy of remaining fourth if Ja’Marcus Ingram has earned more trust of the coaching staff to be where he’s supposed to be at all times. In the spring, I mentioned Elam as someone the Bills could consider moving before the regular season to try to capitalize on value if he didn’t lock down the starting gig. Now, I wouldn’t rule out them looking at Elam as a trade chip to improve a position at the trade deadline. In the interim, he may get one or two more chances, and it’s paramount that he takes advantage.”
Kaiir Elam Remains Confident
Despite being a healthy scratch through the first month of the season and struggling in his season debut, Elam remained confident that he would bounce back.
“It’s been the first time ever in my life not being the star guy or the starter,” Elam told reporters after practice on Wednesday, via the Niagara Gazette. “It’s been, I feel like for anybody, it’ll be, I guess, a little challenge. But all I can do is continue to get better, prepare like a starter like I did, and I just feel like, just don’t think too much about it. I mean, just go out there and do what you do best.”
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