Recent Bills' first-round pick named team's biggest trade candidate

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

He’s failed to carve out a significant role in the Buffalo Bills’ defense after the team traded up to select him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, appearing in just 16 games and starting only eight throughout his two professional seasons. He’s shown occasional flashes of brilliance in the form of timely, game-altering interceptions in important games, but the highlights have, unfortunately, been few and far between; he’s struggled to earn the unabated trust of Buffalo’s coaching staff due to his aggression and knack for taking penalties in inopportune moments.

It’s entirely too early to write the 23-year-old former All-SEC defender off, but there are justified reasons to be concerned about his long-term feasibility as a significant contributor. Some feel as though a change of scenery would be best for all parties; Pro Football Network’s Anthony DiBona is seemingly in this camp, circling Elam as the Bills’ most appetizing trade candidate in a recent article for the outlet.

“The Buffalo Bills selected cornerback Kaiir Elam in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the No. 23 overall section. Despite his draft status, Elam has failed to impress Buffalo’s coaching staff, as he has started just eight games in his first two seasons,” DiBona wrote. “It appears as though the Bills are ready to move in a different direction at cornerback and Elam’s time might be up soon in Buffalo. Another team could be intrigued by Elam’s potential and think a fresh start could help turn his career around.”

Related: Play-making Bills CB named one of the NFL's best at his position

The suggestion isn’t necessarily egregious, but it’s difficult to imagine the Bills moving on from Elam in the near future due primarily to their lack of depth at cornerback. The defender is currently penciled in as the third corner on Buffalo’s depth chart behind the play-making Rasul Douglas and underrated Christian Benford—given the importance of depth at the position and Buffalo’s recent history of cornerback injuries, the Bills trading their primary depth option does not seem like too feasible a proposition.

It’s also important to consider the potential return here. It’s tough to imagine another club parting ways with a significant asset for Elam given his underwhelming professional production—the most Buffalo could likely receive for the cornerback would be a day-three draft pick. At that point, is a trade worth it? Would moving on from a trait-sy defender who is just two years removed from being a first-round draft pick—who is just one injury away from ascending into a starting role—for a late draft selection really make sense?

And besides, not all development is linear. It’s possible Elam will not evolve into the cornerback Buffalo initially drafted him to be, but giving up on that possibility now may be a bit premature. Knowing when to pivot is an important trait all successful general managers must have, but it may be too early to do so.

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

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