Does Kaiir Elam Have What It Takes? A Look at the Buffalo Bills Defensive Backs

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Heading into this season, there’s a lot of excitement around the Buffalo Bills defensive backs, and rightfully so. Nickelback Taron Johnson is coming off a second-team All-Pro season in 2023.

He hasn’t spent much time off the field this offseason because he knows what it will take to elevate his game even further.

“We’ve got to make sure we keep that chemistry going. We’re going to have guys that are going to be meeting each other throughout the season, so we had to make sure we did that in the offseason,” Johnson told reporters at the end of minicamp. “So if we can keep that going, I think it’ll help us going into training camp.”

Then at cornerback, you’ll see the first full season in a Bills uniform for Rasul Douglas and the third year for Christian Benford.

Both players have shown signs of success when healthy and both on the field. Douglas told us during mandatory minicamp that it has a lot to do with the relationship they’ve been able to build in such a short period of time.

“CB (Christian Benford) and I call each other every other day all offseason. He’s my guy. I like the way he comes to work every day. He plays hard and works hard and he talks to you and gives you his perspective on what he sees,” Douglas said. “We bounce ideas off each other.”

Behind the likely starters on the depth chart, you’ll find plenty of pieces that round out this room. But none of them present a better case for carving out a path to a starting role than third-year cornerback Kaiir Elam.

“I think his mindset is where it needs to be. Coach (Joe) Dana and them are doing a good job of helping him focus on the little things he needs to improve,” defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said of Elam.

“The growth is all over the place. He’s understanding the games better and you see his technique improving in a lot of areas. It’s really special to see,” added Taron Johnson.

His teammates and coaches see the progress Elam is making to live up to the expectations of his first-round draft pick. There’s probably no one who’s had a better minicamp than Elam. Who’s continually made breakout play after breakout play.

But getting that high, consistent level of play when it counts is goal number five.

“I just want to be a guy that my teammates can count on to be on the field and do my job,” Elam told reporters during minicamp. “I really believe I can take the ball at a high level, so I’m continuing to work on what’s going to get me there.”

High expectations and high potential make the Bills defense a team to watch when training camp begins at St. John Fisher University this Wednesday, July 24.