Getty Kaiir Elam reacts after making an interception in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Buffalo Bills traded up to snag cornerback Kaiir Elam in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but one insider suggests it may already be time for the Bills to cut bait and move on.
Elam moved into a prominent role quickly in his rookie season, starting the 2022 season in the place of the injured Tre’Davious White. Fellow rookie Christian Benford eventually surpassed Elam on the depth chart, and Elam was a healthy scratch for the first four games this season.
Elam didn’t make it all the way through his season debut, eventually being benched in the team’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 8. Reporter Chris Owen of 106.5 WYRK believes it’s time for the Bills to move on entirely and trade Elam.
Bills Ready to Turn the Page
As Owen noted, Elam struggled against Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who ended the game with seven receptions for 122 yards. Late in the game, with the Bills in a late rally and needing a defensive stop against the Jaguars, the Bills benched Elam in favor of Ja’Marcus Ingram.
Though Elam did end the day with 11 tackles, his late-game benching was a telling sign to Owen.
“It’s evident that they don’t want to play him when they are fully healthy,” Owen wrote. “The 2022 first round pick has been outplayed by both Dane Jackson (2020 7th round pick) and Christian Benford (2022 6th round pick). The fact that he was taken out for Ja’Marcus Ingram, who was on the practice squad before Saturday, says a lot more about how dire of a situation this is.”
Kaiir Elam starts for the #Bills today #BillsMafia
Owen wrote that the Bills should “immediately” look to trade Elam, who could also benefit from a fresh start with a new team.
“It’s best for both the Bills and Elam to move on. Elam deserves a fresh start and snaps to know for sure if he can play in the NFL, while the Bills can play the players they are comfortable with in playoff and Super Bowl aspirations.
“Simply put, the Elam pick hasn’t worked out.”
The Bills will be facing more pressure after White suffered another season-ending injury, tearing his Achilles in a win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. The Bills suffered another major injury when linebacker Matt Milano fractured his leg, leaving the team without two of its top players on defense.
Bills Bring in More Help in Secondary
The Bills already made one move to boost their secondary, signing veteran Josh Norman to their practice squad. Norman played for the Bills in 2020. Norman played for the Panthers in 2022, appearing in two games with one start. He made eight total tackles.
The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn noted that with White out for the season and Elam underperforming, the Bills may need to look for even more help for their secondary.
“If the Bills can’t get Elam turned around, they have to consider looking outside the organization for a cornerback,” Fairfurn wrote. “With White out for the year, Benford and [Dane] Jackson can handle the starting snaps, but the depth could end up being a problem.”