Insider Shares Update on Return of Bills Cornerback Tre White

The Buffalo Bills have been reluctant to put any hard dates to the return of All-Pro cornerback Tre White, but an insider shared an optimistic update about the completion of his rehab process.

White was injured in the team’s Thanksgiving night win over the New Orleans Saints, tearing his ACL and missing the remainder of the season. Though the rehab for an ACL tear has traditionally been a full year, there are some notable exceptions in recent years and hope that White could return early in the season.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler shared that the Bills are hopeful about the timeline for White’s rehab.

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Bills Hopeful on White

As Fowler reported, the Bills seem to expect White to be back on the earlier end of the ACL rehab timeline.

“I’m told the plan is for cornerback Tre’Davious White to return to practice ‘sooner than later,’ ” Fowler wrote. “There doesn’t seem to be much panic out of Buffalo’s camp about his ability to return to the lineup.”

Because White is on track for an earlier return — Fowler didn’t put any exact date, or speculate whether he could be ready for Week 1 — the Bills don’t feel the need to bring in any other cornerbacks.

“The Bills will likely keep their eye on veteran corners but don’t feel the need to overcompensate yet,” he wrote. “First-round rookie Kaiir Elam has battled well throughout camp while learning some new techniques. He was mostly a press-man corner at Florida, and the Bills have worked with him on his off-coverage, which takes time to learn. He has been eager to take that challenge and apply it.”

Elam Ready to Step Up

While White is working his way back to full health, Elam appears ready to step up. Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said he expects Elam to play a big role early in the season, and All-Pro safety Micah Hyde had plenty of praise for the rookie.

“You can already tell he listens. He pays attention,” Hyde said during a video conference with reporters. “You can tell as I’m saying stuff he’s taking mental notes. That’s how Tre’Davious was when he first got here. He was battling on the football field which is what Kaiir is doing, but also just learning from his mistakes and learning from the older guys.”

Elam seems up to the task. Bills general manager Brandon Beane said he made a big impression by showing up with his own notes in pre-draft interviews, breaking down his play at the University of Florida. Elam told reporters on August 1 that he already has a veteran mindset.

“I don’t like to be called a rookie,” Elam said, via Fox Sports. “I just like to be called however I perform. I am a rookie technically, but my mindset is that I’m ready when my number is called.

“When I first got to the University of Florida, I didn’t think of myself as a freshman,” Elam added. “I always thought of myself as preparing to start and preparing to be elite. That’s my same mindset here.”

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