How a 'clean slate' has benefited Bills CB Kaiir Elam (2024)

PITTSFORD – Two things have keyed Kaiir Elam’s turnaround, in the mind of Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott.

A tireless work ethic and a much-needed “clean slate,” as McDermott put it.

Elam, the team’s 2022 first-round draft pick, is coming off a massively disappointing second professional season. He played in just three games in the regular season, starting twice, and finished with 14 tackles. An ankle injury, coupled with an obvious lack of trust from the coaching staff, led to a wasted year.

Elam, however, has looked good throughout the spring and early portion of training camp at St. John Fisher University, even pushing for time with the starters.

Former defensive backs coach John Butler is out, and new cornerbacks coach Jahmile Addae has struck up a close relationship with Elam that has helped a great deal.

“Sometimes you have to give belief or confidence before you get it,” McDermott said. “I’m not saying that’s the case in this situation or all situations, but I do believe that our environment and the environment that we build, I would hope, helps give confidence to each and every player so that they can become the best version of themselves while they’re in Buffalo.

“I think that’s happened in a lot of the players that we’ve had. Specific to Kaiir, it is important. I mean, he’s been through, for sure, let’s just say last year alone, that was a challenging and trying year, so there is an element of, or a degree of, re-instilling that belief and that confidence.”

Elam is firmly the Bills’ No. 3 cornerback at the moment behind projected starters Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford. Douglas’ arrival last season after a trade with Green Bay ended up being a positive for Elam. Douglas, 28, has been released by three teams in his NFL career, so he knows all about going through hard times.

“Adversity is going to come. Adversity is going to show you who you are – what you can take, what you can handle,” Douglas said of what his advice has been for Elam. “For him, right now, he’s growing. He’s just to keep growing and not compare himself to where he’s been. The past is the past. It’s behind you. You’re moving forward. Read the next chapter. Don’t go back to chapter one and keep re-reading it over again and wondering why you can’t get to chapter two. I think, now, he’s in a new place and he’s got to keep going.”

Bills general manager Brandon Beane traded up to pick Elam in the draft. In doing so, it only heightened the lofty expectations that are placed on any first-round pick. While it is not unfair to say Elam, 23, hasn’t met those expectations to this point, he’s still got two years left on his rookie contract, so there is time for him to reshape his career arc.

“I’ve learned to appreciate the tough moments, because it’s helped me grow into where I am right now,” he said. “It can be easy to just go in the tank and put your head down, but I feel like you really learn a lot about yourself when you continue to fight and work hard and be a good person. It’s easy to become a cancer when things ain’t going your way, but I continue to just stay levelheaded and keep improving.”

That improvement was evident in the spring and has carried over to the start of training camp. It has resulted in Elam rotating in with Benford with the starting defense.

“My confidence is really high, through the roof right now,” Elam said. “I don’t say that to be co*cky or arrogant, I say that because I’ve put in the work. I trust and believe in everything that (defensive coordinator) Bobby (Babich) and coach Addae are pouring into me. I’m just trying to go out there and do it fast and free and make plays.”

After practice Monday, Elam spent several minutes on the field in a discussion with Benford and Douglas. After that, he signed autographs for young fans, asking each of them their name and how their day was going before signing. He smiled the whole time in doing so, and looked at ease. In that moment, the struggles of his first two seasons looked far behind Elam.

“I’m glad to see hard work paying off and the sacrifices and the preparation paying off,” he said. “I just want to continue to keep improving, keep getting better. I have a great coach who stays on me every single play, to make sure I’m perfect every single play. I just want to continue to learn from him and grow and make a lot of plays.”

Elam wasn’t aware that McDermott had said it was a “clean slate” for the cornerback. Asked whether he felt like that, he respectfully sidestepped the question.

“I don’t really look at it as, like, I’m brand new again,” he said. “I just tried to take advantage of every opportunity that I was given. Make a lot of interceptions and be a great teammate to my teammates and just give great effort.

“To be honest with you, I really feel like there is nothing in particular I need to do better, I just feel like I need to be where my feet are and really just continue to have that same focus and determination and effort every time I step on the grass. I really believe I can get better all-around.”