'Tough Times 10': Bills Next Step for Rookie Kaiir Elam After Disappointing Move

Kaiir Elam was dealt his first major professional hardship at a brutal time, but those within the Buffalo Bills' organization believe he has responded well.

The Buffalo Bills' recent ledgers suggest they've "earned" a first-round misfire or two. Those involved in that potential disappointment, however, are refusing to serve as such a footnote.

Perhaps no one was expecting Kaiir Elam to put the weight of the Buffalo defense on his back upon his arrival as the 23rd pick of last spring's draft. He responded to an immediate early challenge when teammates' injuries forced him to take a headlining role in the secondary back in September but his own medical woes forced him out of the lineup for the futile against the Minnesota Vikings.

Returning to the Buffalo secondary proved difficult, as he was held out of the prime time Thursday nighter against the New England Patriots almost entirely despite not appearing on any injury report. His lone representation there was a single special teams snap.

Elam eventually made it back to the primary defensive unit in the Bills' return to the exclusive windows, partaking in 28 opportunities in the narrow 32-29 victory that secured the Bills' spot at the postseason table. Elam had three tackles and a pass breakup and let up only 11 yards when his man got the ball twice.

Bills staff and teammates believe that Elam has responded well to his surprise defensive erasure.

“It’s tough every year but being a rookie, it’s tough times 10," fellow defender Taron Johnson told Ryan O'Halloran of The Buffalo News. "The key is to have a strong mindset and I feel like (Elam) has that and has kept pushing forward.”

"He did a lot of really good things in that ballgame,” Frazier said in the same report. “It was encouraging to see him come out and get his hands on some balls and make some plays for us.”

Elam doesn't have a full season under his belt but is already well-versed in the rollercoaster nature of the NFL through the first 15 weeks of his career. He gained a sizable bit of NFL notoriety when he earned a game-changing interception of Patrick Mahomes in an October win over Kansas City, the first such takeaway of his professional career. 

As the Bills (11-3) close in on the AFC East division title and the first-round bye that potentially comes with it, Elam said he's in a "good space mentally" even after enduring his first major benching at a dangerous time in his rookie season. He's looking at the final stages of the regular season, starting with Saturday's visit to Chicago (1 p.m. ET, CBS) as an opportunity to correct his mistakes both on and away from the game field. 

“I have an opportunity, I’m healthy, I know the defense and I’m ready to just go play fast. That’s where I am right now," Elam said, per Nick Sabato of the Niagara Gazette. "Every day, I focus on correcting my mistakes, not even my mistakes, but strengthening my weaknesses and giving it my all.”

“I was just tired of being down on myself, tired of trying to be perfect. I just give it my all and let the work take over. I’m not trying to be perfect anymore. Nothing’s going to be perfect. I just try to give it my all and make sure I’m locked in on what I need to get done.”

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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