When cornerback Kaiir Elam joined the Bills as a first-round pick in 2022, the hope was that he’d earn a prominent role in the team’s secondary but that isn’t quite how things have played out.
Elam started seven of the 14 games he played as a rookie before injuries and healthy scratches limited him to three regular season appearances in 2023. He did return for both playoff games and had an interception in the Wild Card round, but he did not play a single defensive snap in the divisional round loss to the Chiefs.
On Tuesday, Elam said that he has tried to focus on what he’s learned from the tough moments rather than spend time bemoaning the fact that things haven’t played out as he would have hoped to this point.
“I learned to appreciate it because without that, I feel like I wouldn’t have grown into the man I am right now. Just going out there and playing free just because of all the mental games and everything I’ve been through,” Elam said, via the team’s website.
The departures of Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson have opened up some snaps at cornerback for the Bills. Elam earning them would be a step in the right direction to kick off his third NFL season.
