Bills’ recent first-round pick unlikely to ‘resurrect his career’ in 2024 NFL season

While it’s probably too early to completely rule out Buffalo Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam, it may be prudent to pick up a pen.

Buffalo once had high hopes for the cornerback, projecting him as a long-term starter opposite Tre’Davious White after trading up to select him with the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Florida Gator, well Sure, wasn’t a perfect schematic or philosophical model for the Bills’ defense (he was an aggressive defensive back who played best in man coverage when entering a zone scheme), but Buffalo hoped he could expand its repertoire. and shape his athletic profile into something special.

So far the experiment has been a failure.

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Elam was disappointing throughout his first two professional seasons, his struggles beginning even before the start of his rookie season when Christian Benford, who was selected 162 picks after him in the same draft, beat him out for a job departure during the first week. That would bode well for the cornerback, who has yet to be able to play a significant role in the Bills’ defense; he started only eight games as a professional, showing occasional flashes but largely struggling to gain the trust of Buffalo’s brass due to his untimely penalties and coverage struggles.

There is room for optimism regarding the 23-year-old given that he is only two years away from being a first-round pick, but there appear to be few glimmers of hope and additional clouds could be on the horizon. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report echoes this sentiment; in an article ranking recent first-round picks who are most likely to resurrect their careers, the author ranked Elam eighth overall, indicating a general lack of confidence in the defenseman.

“Even if you call Elam’s three-game 2023 regular season a wash, the reality is that the former Florida star hasn’t played much like a first-round pick,” Davenport wrote. “In his two professional seasons, Elam allowed a completion percentage north of 70. His passer rating was above 95 both seasons. These are not numbers that scare opposing quarterbacks.

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“In Elam’s defense, the 23-year-old has only made eight career starts, so it is premature to write him off completely. But for Elam to start in 2024, he will need to unseat Christian Benford. It’s not easy to turn around a career as a team’s fourth cornerback. And a Bills team whose Super Bowl window isn’t expanding can’t afford to take on liability in a secondary that will already welcome two new starters at safety this year.

As Davenport writes, it’s too early to completely write off Elam, as he has shown moments of promise, especially in big games. He recorded an interception against Patrick Mahomes in his rookie season and collected another pick in that year’s playoffs against the Miami Dolphins. He was forced into action during Buffalo’s Wild-Card Round game with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023, recording another interception.

He’s generally inconsistent, but if he’s able to refine his game while continuing to play in big moments, there may still be hope for the former first-round pick. He might get some opportunities in his third year, as he currently projects as the Bills’ primary cornerback.