Buffalo Bills first-round pick named as team’s biggest trade candidate

It would be fair to describe the start of Kaiir Elam’s NFL career as disappointing.

He failed to carve out a meaningful role on the Buffalo Bills defense after the team selected him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, appearing in just 16 games and starting just eight over his two professional seasons. He showed occasional flashes of brilliance in the form of timely and game-changing interceptions in big games, but the highlights were unfortunately few and far between; he struggled to earn the unwavering trust of Buffalo’s coaching staff due to his aggressiveness and knack for drawing penalties at the wrong time.

It’s still too early to write off the 23-year-old former All-SEC defender, but there are valid reasons to be concerned about his long-term viability as a significant contributor. Some believe a change of scenery would be best for all parties; Pro Football Network’s Anthony DiBona appears to be in that camp, naming Elam as the Bills’ most appealing candidate in a recent article from the outlet.

“The Buffalo Bills selected cornerback Kaiir Elam in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the 23rd overall pick. Despite his draft status, Elam has failed to impress Buffalo’s coaching staff, starting just eight games in his first two seasons,” DiBona wrote. “It appears the Bills are ready to move in a different direction at cornerback and Elam’s time in Buffalo could soon be up. Another team could be intrigued by Elam’s potential and think a fresh start could help revive his career.”

Related: Bills playmaking CB named one of NFL’s best at his position

The suggestion isn’t necessarily blatant, but it’s hard to imagine the Bills parting ways with Elam anytime soon, largely due to their lack of depth at cornerback. The defensive back is currently considered Buffalo’s third-string cornerback behind playmaker Rasul Douglas and the underrated Christian Benford. Given the importance of depth at the position and Buffalo’s recent injury history at cornerback, the Bills don’t seem particularly keen on trading their primary depth option.

It’s also important to consider the potential return here. It’s hard to imagine another club parting ways with a major asset for Elam given his underwhelming career production — the most Buffalo could likely get for the cornerback would be a Day 3 draft pick. At this point, is a trade worth it? Going from a power forward who is just two years away from being a first-round draft pick — and just one injury away from a starting role — to a late-round draft pick? Really Does this make sense?

Additionally, development isn’t always linear. It’s possible Elam won’t become the cornerback Buffalo originally planned for him, but he’s given up on that possibility. NOW perhaps a little premature. Knowing when to pivot is an important quality that all successful general managers must have, but it may be Also It’s too early to do that.

Circumstances could change during training camp, but at this point, it appears Elam will remain in Western New York for the upcoming season. Buffalo simply needs him to serve as reliable depth during the 2024 campaign, and he has positioned himself well throughout the offseason to thrive in that role; he was reportedly one of the team’s standouts during its recent mandatory minicamp, suggesting he has grown as a player entering his third season.

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