Overlooked Bills CB to receive first-team reps at training camp

Buffalo Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam will receive some first-team reps as the team commences its 2024 training camp.

All eyes are on Buffalo first round draft pick Kaiir Elam (24) who pumps his fist as the takes the field on the opening day of the Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University in Rochester Sunday, July 24, 2022. Sd 072422 Bills Camp 2 Spts / Shawn Dowd / USA TODAY NETWORK

If you haven’t yet purchased any Kaiir Elam stock, now may be your last opportunity before the price skyrockets.

He’s evolved into an oft-debated figure amongst the Buffalo faithful throughout his short professional career; he’s shown flashes of brilliance in limited duty (namely in the form of timely interceptions in high-pressure situations), but he’s also gotten in his own way at times, with his aggression and penchant for taking inopportune penalties preventing him from gaining the full trust of his coaching staff. This leaves the 23-year-old in a strange situation entering his third professional season: he’s an obviously talented and promising player, but he’s also only appeared in 16 games and tallied 55 total tackles throughout his two professional seasons.

Most would agree that it’s too early to write the 2022 first-round pick off entirely, but given the full scope of what he’s showcased, it’s entirely fair to question his long-term feasibility as a starting option in Western New York. Elam appears to be in the midst of re-writing the narrative, however; he flashed throughout the Buffalo Bills’ June minicamp, coming down with several interceptions before being anointed by a bevy of beat writers as the team’s standout performer. Bills head coach Sean McDermott took notice of the defensive back’s strong offseason play, and he plans to reward Elam with first-team reps at the start of the team’s 2024 training camp.

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“Belief is important,” McDermott told reporters ahead of Buffalo’s first training camp practice session. “Belief and confidence are a big part of performing, especially at this level. But not just this level, at many levels, youth levels included. It’s a clean slate for Kaiir, and we’re looking forward to, in year three, what he’s able to do. 

“Again, I think our environment usually helps players with that, in that belief and confidence. We have to continue to instill that as coaches in him, and then he’ll do the rest. He’ll be out there at times running with the first group, at times with the second group, and we’ll mix it and give him opportunities to really develop here.”

It’s an encouraging development for Elam, who is perhaps entering a ‘make-or-break’ year; Buffalo’s brass will have to make a decision on the former first-round pick’s fifth-year option after the 2024 campaign. He has a tough task ahead of him in usurping one of Rasul Douglas or (more likely) Christian Benford on the depth chart, but the fact that he’s being given the opportunity at all is a promising sign. All any player ever needs is an opportunity to showcase their abilities, and Elam will have his throughout training camp.

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