“I was always put in the back seat” - Cowboys CB Kaiir Elam makes feelings known about experience with Bills

Kaiir Elam has had a difficult couple of seasons in the NFL, including with the Buffalo Bills. On Monday, the new Dallas Cowboys cornerback spoke with Jon Machota of The Athletic about how he felt in Buffalo over the past two seasons.

“Coming to Buffalo, I was a kid that just wanted to improve and learn and really show off my talents, but I was always put in the back seat,” Elam said.

Elam missed 22 regular-season games with the Bills over the past three seasons, mainly due to injury, including the entire 2024 campaign. The former first-round pick out of Florida started just eight games in his first two seasons with the Bills, posting 39 solo tackles, one for a loss with four passes defended.

He was traded to the Dallas Cowboys along with a sixth-round pick in next month’s draft, with the Bills receiving a fifth-round pick in 2025 and a sixth-rounder in 2026.

“I continued to put my head down and work, continued to make plays throughout the season and in the playoffs and stuff like that,” Elam continued.

While the 23-year-old has yet to record an interception, he’s played in four career NFL playoff games and had an interception in the 2022 and 2023 post-seasons. In college, Elam was named second-team All-SEC in 2020.

Kaiir Elam’s chance to prove himself

Going to the Dallas Cowboys will feel like a fresh start for Kaiir Elam; by all accounts, he’s excited about the opportunity.

“It was a blessing and a privilege to be traded to the Cowboys," Elann said. "The big market and the tradition here is something that I’m in love with right now. Being able to just go prove myself and help this team win, that’s all I’m committed to right now.”

The Cowboys are trying to address an issue of depth at the cornerback position, and Elam should have his share of opportunities to prove his worth. Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland played seven games for them last season because of a stress fracture and Trevon Diggs missed nearly all of 2023 with a torn ACL.

The Cowboys' recurring injury issues at that position could allow Elam to show what he’s capable of. In 2024, the Cowboys were 28th in receiving yards allowed per game (355.2), giving up 218.1 per game through the air.