ESPN says recent first-round pick was Bills' most surprising player at minicamp

ESPN has identified recent first-round draft pick Kaiir Elam as a player who made a surprising impact at the team's recent minicamp.

Oct 16, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam (24) waves to fans after an interception against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Kaiir Elam currently sticks out as a wild card in a Buffalo Bills secondary that’s long been defined by continuity and consistent high-level play. 

The team has largely deployed the same defensive backfield since head coach Sean McDermott took the reins in the 2017 NFL season—Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer manned the safety spots while Tre’Davious White served as its lockdown cornerback, with a revolving door of players starting opposite him on the boundary over the years. The team attempted to put a stop in that door by trading up to select Elam, then an athletic defensive back for the Florida Gators, in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft; the plan, to this point, hasn't materialized, as the 23-year-old has appeared in only 16 career regular season games over the past two years and has largely struggled to earn the trust of Buffalo’s coaching staff given his aggression.

The Bills revamped their secondary in the 2024 offseason, moving on from Hyde, Poyer, and White in an attempt to get younger throughout the unit. The moves didn’t necessarily shake up the team’s plans at cornerback—Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford closed out the 2023 campaign as the team’s starters and again project as the load-bearers in 2024—but the maneuvers do provide a path for Elam to carve out a role as the team’s primary depth corner.

Bills defensive back Kaiir Elam during training camp drills. / Jamie Germano/Democrat and Chronicle /

The third-year defender appears to have gotten off to a strong start. In a recent article breaking down one player from each team who impressed at minicamp, ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg praised Elam, noting that he showed vast improvement throughout spring workouts.

“Elam looked like he took a step forward and stood out throughout the offseason, including with multiple interceptions,” Getzenberg wrote. “The 2022 first-round pick has been a backup for the majority of his first two years with injuries playing a part. He now has a new position coach in Jahmile Addae and got plenty of time on the field during the offseason with cornerback Rasul Douglas not at the team's voluntary sessions and corner Christian Benford excused from mandatory minicamp for a family issue. Elam has a big camp ahead to continue to show what he can do with Douglas and Benford the favorites to start.”

Related: Bills land former Top 3 pick in 2022 NFL Re-Draft

Elam stood out as one of Buffalo’s strongest—and most improved—defenders at minicamp, building a strong foundation on which he hopes to construct a stellar training camp. It’ll take quite a strong summer in order for the former first-round pick to usurp one of Douglas or Benford on the depth chart, but it’s not an egregious suggestion given his obvious talent; he is only two years removed from being the 23rd overall pick in the NFL Draft, after all.

That said, the Bills aren’t necessarily expecting Elam to earn a starting job, something that perhaps makes his situation that much more advantageous. There are no longer any sky-high expectations attached to the trait-sy defensive back—the team simply wants him to be a reliable depth option, a role he appears capable of thriving in. New Buffalo defensive coordinator Bobby Babich recently told reporters that the coaching staff has offered Elam a “clean slate,” something the promising defender seems to already be taking advantage of. 

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