Bills Central

Breakout Bills CB speaks about team’s improved vibes: ‘Everybody’s more free’

Buffalo Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam feels as though the team feels more free at this year's training camp.

Kyle Silagyi

Bills defensive back Kaiir Elam, left, and Kyron Brown put in the extra work with drills on tight coverage after practice.
Bills defensive back Kaiir Elam, left, and Kyron Brown put in the extra work with drills on tight coverage after practice. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane woke up in undesired, but not unfamiliar territory on the morning of January 22, 2024: back at the drawing board.

His team had, just the night prior, lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round, its third postseason exit at the hands of the Patrick Mahomes-led club in the last four years. The Bills didn’t even have the opportunity to play against the Chiefs in the year they lost to a different franchise, instead losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Divisional Round.

And after each prior premature postseason exit, Beane attempted to make slight tweaks to his roster, adding or subtracting a player here or there (some more significant than others) but never making overwhelming alterations to the team’s core. The strategy wasn’t misplaced; the Bills have consistently been one of the NFL’s best clubs since Beane and head coach Sean McDermott took the reins in 2017, posting a combined 73-41 record over the past seven seasons as they’ve clinched six postseason berths and won four straight AFC East titles.

Beane has simply been trying to keep a good thing going.

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This year was different, however; amidst looming salary cap woes and evidence that the current version of Buffalo’s roster just wasn’t working, the veteran executive made significant changes to his roster, parting ways with stalwarts Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White, Mitch Morse, and Stefon Diggs to create long-term financial flexibility. The team largely replaced these contributors with younger players, something that should, in theory, extend the team’s championship window assuming the replacements match expectations.

It was a culture shock at One Bills Drive. Gone were a bevy of trusted voices and team leaders and, in a way, the previous way of doing things. Their departures, however, opened the door for other players to step up, to ascend into leadership roles and put their stamp on the organization. This has resulted in a generally improved atmosphere, with several players noting the improved ‘vibes’ throughout the team’s recent training camp at St. John Fisher University.

Third-year cornerback Kaiir Elam, who has flourished in the new atmosphere and has constructed an immensely promising camp, spoke about the vibes with WKBW’s Matthew Bové after Thursday’s practice, telling the reporter that the team now feels looser and generally unrestricted.

“I don’t know, it just feels like everybody’s more free,” Elam said. “Everybody’s more free, everybody’s not as tense. We’re just having a good time competing against each other. Everybody wants to win, everybody’s confident, and everybody’s testosterone is through the roof right now because we’ve been in camp together.

"I just feel like everybody has felt like, I don’t know if it’s like a burden, but everybody just feels a lot more free.”

Kaiir Elam
Bills defensive back Kaiir Elam leads the way as the defense moves to the back field for drills during day seven of the Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

The looser atmosphere can be attributed not only to personnel turnover and a greater opportunity for players to make their individual mark on the team, but also to alterations throughout the coaching staff; Buffalo has several new position coaches this year, among them cornerbacks coach Jahmile Addae and defensive line coach Marcus West (though West has been with the organization since 2022). These coaches have already visibly put their stamp on the team, with veteran defensive tackle Ed Oliver recently telling reporters that West had created a more “player-friendly” environment across the defensive line.

The importance of vibes cannot be overstated. Though Buffalo’s leadership core and general roster saw significant turnover in the 2024 offseason, the culture and atmosphere appear to be looser, more player-driven, and generally better. Only time will tell if this will be something that will allow the team to finally get over the hump in the postseason.

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Kyle Silagyi

KYLE SILAGYI

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