Kaiir

Elam

Elam is a former first-round pick (23rd overall) of the Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has played in 39 career NFL games, with 19 starts while playing with the Bills and the Cowboys. Elam had 19 solo tackles and one defended pass in seven games for Dallas this season. He’s been credited with 110 tackles and two interceptions in his career. Elam will join a Titans defense allowing the league’s eighth lowest drop back success rate in 2025.

Although the Cowboys traded for Elam this offseason, this move was always expected. As noted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, “the option would have paid him around $12.7 million,” which the Cowboys deemed too steep a price for a player who has failed to meet first-round expectations. Elam is now officially playing on a one-year prove-it deal.

It’s a miniscule swap of picks for the former No. 23 overall pick, but Elam failed to find his footing in Buffalo and the Bills were more than ready to move on. Elam only appeared in 29 games through three seasons with the Bills. He missed time due to injuries but was also a healthy scratch at times. A trade was the best outcome for all involved. Elam will now look to revive his career in Dallas while the Cowboys are hoping to buy low on a former first-round selection.

Codrington was the only player listed on the team’s injury report heading into the weekend. The Bills enter Sunday’s game at near full strength as they prepare to host the Broncos for the first of three games set to go down on the second day of Wild Card Weekend.

The 2022 first-round pick has appeared in just three games this season, allowing 135 yards on 10 receptions before being placed on the IR with a torn ligament in his foot. Despite many labeling Elam as a bust, it was revealed that Elam suffered the ankle injury in the preseason and was trying to play through it at the start of the year. Now fully healthy, Elam will work in as a back-up cornerback behind Rasul Douglas, Christian Benford, and Dane Jackson. Perhaps a strong finish to the season can help him shake the “bust” label. Interestingly, this move completes Buffalo’s 53-man roster which means they’ll need to make another roster move if they want to activate DT DaQuan Jones.

It’s been a rough season for Elam, who is already being slapped with the “bust” tag just 16 games into his NFL career. The former first-round pick has appeared in just three games this season, and has allowed 135 yards on 10 receptions in that short time. According to Bills GM Brandon Beane, Elam has been dealing with an ankle injury throughout the season and could be “shut down” as a result. The team went out and acquired Packers corner Rasul Douglas at the trade deadline, and placed Elam on injured reserve moments after signing DT Linval Joseph. Elam will miss at least the next four games, but it sounds like this could be the last we hear of him this season.

The Bills will get some relief with Matt Milano, Dion Dawkins and Kaiir Elam all being active in Week 14. This time it’ll be the Veteran Rhodes who is inactive as they try and slow Garrett Wilson and the Jets on the back end.

It’s a “healthy scratch” for the No. 23 overall pick, though the No. 23 overall pick had been dealing with an ankle injury recently. The Bills media believes his absence likely means Tre’Davious White will finally see his snap count increased. Elam has been having a very touch-and-go inaugural campaign, which is hardly surprising for a first-year corner.

Elam has been out since Week 9 because of the ankle issue. The Bills are still a daunting defense, but the injuries to their secondary and linebacker units are worth noting. The losses should help Cleveland keep up their end of this potentially high-scoring affair.

He left with this injury against the Jets in Week 9 and did not practice in either Thursday or Friday’s sessions after getting in a limited practice on Wednesday. This reads to us like Elam testing the ankle and finding it not manageable for this week. Buffalo’s reserve corners will get to work against Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.