Kaiir Elam

Titans Sign CB Kaiir Elam

A few days after the Cowboys released Kaiir Elam, the cornerback has found a new team. The Titans are signing Elam, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports.

The Cowboys moved on from Elam on Saturday, which was a disappointing result after they acquired him from the Bills in May. The Bills parted with Elam three years after trading up to draft him 23rd overall in 2022.

The former Florida Gator struggled to live up to his first-round status during a 29-game, 12-start tenure with the Bills. The only two regular-season interceptions of Elam’s career came during his rookie campaign.

The hope was that a fresh start in Dallas would benefit Elam, but it didn’t work out that way. While Elam started in seven of 10 appearances with the Cowboys, he had difficulty as part of one of the league’s worst-ranked pass defenses.

Opposing quarterbacks posted a 105.0 rating when they targeted Elam. He was charged with giving up 25 completions, 372 yards, and three touchdowns. Elam began losing playing time as a result. He didn’t play a single defensive snap in what proved to be his last game with the Cowboys, a Week 11 win over the Raiders.

After going through waivers unclaimed, Elam drew interest from the Jets, who hosted him on Tuesday. He’ll instead attempt to break through with the 1-10 Titans, owners of the league’s worst record.

The Titans have gone over a month without starting corner L’Jarius Sneed, who’s on IR with a quad injury. They also lost Roger McCreary and Jarvis Brownlee in trades earlier this season. Those in-season changes have left Jalyn Armour-Davis, Darrell Baker, and Marcus Harris as their main options at the position. That group will now welcome in Elam.

To make room for Elam, the Titans waived corner Samuel Womack, per Jim Wyatt of the team’s website. Womack started in eight of 17 games during a two-interception showing with the 49ers in 2024, but they waived him last August. The Colts claimed Womack before quickly waiving him. The Titans claimed him in late August, and he wound up appearing in five of their games this season. Womack played 91 snaps (54 on defense, 37 on special teams) and made four tackles.

Jets Host CB Kaiir Elam

Kaiir Elam is already looking to land on his feet. Days after getting cut by the Cowboys, the cornerback had a visit with the Jets today, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston.

[RELATED: Cowboys Waive CB Kaiir Elam]

With Shavon Revel recently making his NFL debut and Trevon Diggs on the verge of returning from a concussion, Elam was unceremoniously let go by the Cowboys the other day. The cornerback was acquired by Dallas back in March and ended up starting seven of his nine appearances with the franchise.

While the veteran wasn’t the sole reason for the Cowboys’ defensive struggles, he undoubtedly contributed to them. Elam allowed 25 completions, 372 yards, and three touchdowns this season, with opposing QBs managing a 105.0 passer rating when throwing his way. Pro Football Focus currently has the 24-year-old ranked 60th among 110 qualifying cornerbacks.

The 23rd pick in the 2022 draft, Elam looked like a future piece for the Bills, as the Florida product finished his rookie campaign with a pair of interceptions while starting six of his 13 appearances. He was limited to only three games in 2023, although he did come up with a key interception in a playoff win over the Steelers. Elam served mostly as a backup in 2024, and his struggles while filling in for Christian Benford during the playoffs ultimately spelled the end of his Bills tenure.

With Sauce Gardner (and, to a lesser extent, Michael Carter) no longer in the picture, the Jets have turned to a number of cornerbacks opposite Brandon Stephens. If Elam catches on with the organization, he’d likely compete with the likes of Jarvis Brownlee, Isaiah Oliver, and Azareye’h Thomas for reps.

Cowboys Waive CB Kaiir Elam

The Cowboys made a trade for cornerback Kaiir Elam last March, but they’re moving on eight months later. The team announced that it has waived Elam. He’ll be free to sign anywhere if he goes unclaimed. If a team does claim Elam, it would take on the fully guaranteed $1MM left on his contract.

Elam isn’t far removed from going in the first round of the 2022 draft. The Bills traded up two spots to take Elam 23rd overall after a successful three-year run at Florida. It proved to be an ill-advised decision for Buffalo, though the team did find its No. 1 corner much later in the draft when it chose Christian Benford in the sixth round.

Elam wound up starting in 12 of 29 appearances with the Bills and totaling two interceptions. Both picks came during his rookie season. An ankle injury helped limit Elam to three games in his second year. He returned to play in 13 games in 2024, mostly working as a reserve. In his final game with the Bills, an AFC championship game loss to the Chiefs last January, Elam struggled filling in for Benford after the latter left early with a concussion.

The Bills cut the cord on Elam two months after the Chiefs knocked them out. They sent Elam and a 2025 sixth-round choice to the Cowboys for a 2025 fifth-rounder and a 2026 seventh-rounder. While Dallas believed enough in Elam to take a cheap flier on him, it unsurprisingly declined his fifth-year option (worth around $12.68MM) not long after acquiring him.

Elam ended up starting in seven of 10 games with the Cowboys, who own the NFL’s 30th-ranked pass defense. The 24-year-old contributed to their woes, allowing 25 completions, 372 yards, and three touchdowns before the Cowboys cut him. Opposing quarterbacks have managed a 105.0 passer rating when throwing Elam’s way this season. Pro Football Focus rates his performance 61st among 108 cornerbacks.

With rookie corner Shavon Revel debuting in Week 11 after missing the Cowboys’ first nine games, Elam didn’t play a snap in their win over the Raiders on Monday. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus left Elam on the bench in favor of Revel, Caelen Carson, DaRon Bland, and Reddy Steward. Trevon Diggs could rejoin that group in the coming weeks if he returns from a concussion that forced him to IR on Oct. 25.

With Elam no longer occupying a spot, the Cowboys signed running back Malik Davis from their practice squad to their active roster on Saturday. Davis has recorded seven carries for 26 yards in four games this season. Most of his work (67 of 90 snaps) has come on special teams.

Cowboys Activate Caelen Carson From IR; Off-Field Concussion Sidelines Trevon Diggs

The Cowboys have activated cornerback Caelen Carson from injured reserve ahead of their Week 7 matchup with the Commanders, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Carson landed on IR before Week 1 with a hyperextended knee, but returned to practice as soon as he was eligible at the beginning of October. He has been a full participant in practice for the last two weeks and should be full-go on Sunday.

Carson’s activation comes at a crucial time for the Cowboys. Their defense has allowed the most passing yards per attempt and per game to opposing offenses this year, and they will be without starting cornerback Trevon Diggs this week. Diggs suffered a concussion in an accident at his home this week, according to Archer, sidelining the six-year veteran for Sunday’s game.

In a way, Diggs’ absence and Carson’s return gives Dallas an opportunity to shake up their secondary. Diggs has struggled to start the 2025 season, allowing a 68.8% completion rate when targeted along with 11.9 yards per target and 17.4 yards per completion, all career-worsts. Carson’s 2024 numbers in five starts are not much better, but Diggs has been playing poorly enough that almost any other option could be an improvement.

The Cowboys have also reduced Kaiir Elam‘s snaps in recent weeks, though he may return to a more prominent role with Diggs sidelined. Carson could find his way on the field as well, and Dallas has not been afraid to play second-year UDFA Reddy Steward in the slot, either.

The Cowboys also elevated running back Malik Davis from the practice squad for their Week 7 contest. Davis will add backfield depth after Miles Sanders‘ season-ending injury while also contributing on special teams.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Lawrence, Eagles

Jerry Jones is optimistic the Cowboys will have most of their injured players back in the next couple of weeks. The Cowboys are without starters CeeDee Lamb and Tyler Booker on offense, but neither is on IR. That duo will be set to return soon, while cornerback Caelen Carson is in the IR-return window. Rookie running back Phil Mafah will also be an option to come off IR. Jones expressed more hesitancy during a 105.3 The Fan appearance (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) regarding DeMarvion Overshown and Cooper Beebe. The longtime owner/GM said he does not expect either to return until after the Cowboys’ Week 10 bye. Though, Jones did inject some optimism here by mentioning he does not expect the linebacker or center to miss much (if any) time beyond that point.

Overshown is recovering from a severe knee injury, which resulted in ACL, MCL and PCL tears. A September report pointed to October as a possible early return window; Jones’ latest offering pours cold water on that. Overshown, who missed his entire 2023 rookie season due to an ACL tear, looks likelier to come back at some point in November. Beebe has missed the past three Cowboys contests with a lateral ankle sprain and fractured foot. A return shortly after Dallas’ Week 10 bye would be in line with the initial recovery timetable provided.

Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • The Cowboys benched Kaiir Elam in Week 5, doing so after he started the team’s first four games. DaRon Bland had already returned in time for Week 4, complementing Trevon Diggs after the duo had barely played together since Diggs’ September 2023 ACL tear. Elam still played 35 defensive snaps in a rotational role during a blowout win over the Jets, but via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Reddy Steward lined up in the slot alongside Diggs and Bland. Elam has worked as an outside corner but has not shown much improvement from his Bills days. The Cowboys did not pick up the 2022 first-rounder’s fifth-year option in May.
  • Dexter Lawrence has seen some less accomplished defensive tackles pass him over since he signed his Giants extension (four years, $90MM) in May 2023. The Giants gave him an incentive package in July, and The Athletic’s Dan Duggan details those markers. Lawrence can earn $1.5MM in playing time-based incentives, with $500K escalators in place for 51%, 60% and 70% of the Giants’ defensive snaps this season. An additional $1.5MM in performance incentives are present, with those benchmarks including separate $500K bumps for five-, six- and seven-sack seasons. With the same three-tiered setup in place for the performance marks, Lawrence must become a first- or second-team All-Pro — and see the Giants improve on either total yardage, yards per carry or yards per pass from 2024 — to cash in on any of the $500K levels.
  • The Commanders benched Brandon Coleman last month, turning to fourth-year option Chris Paul at left guard. This was part of a multi-guard changeover, with Andrew Wylie replacing ex-Chiefs teammate Nick Allegretti at RG (while Sam Cosmi finishes his ACL rehab). Coleman’s health contributed to the benching, per Kliff Kingsbury, who said (via NBC4Sports’ JP Finlay) nagging injuries partially contributed to the demotion. Coleman, who started 12 games as a rookie, has not played since Week 2.
  • Landon Dickerson made it back from preseason meniscus surgery to play in Week 1, but he will be sidelined for the Eagles‘ Thursday-night matchup against the Giants. Dickerson sustained an ankle injury against the Broncos and has been ruled out for Week 6, with the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane indicating a two-game absence is likely in play for the Pro Bowl guard. Brett Toth replaced Dickerson at LG. Elsewhere on the Eagle injury front, long snapper Charley Hughlett underwent successful core muscle surgery, per his agent. Placed on IR last week, Hughlett is expected to miss multiple months.

CB Kaiir Elam Expected To Play Big Role In Dallas

The Cowboys’ front office has been busy during the offseason, sending away lots of draft capital to bring in players like George Pickens, Kenneth Murray, Joe Milton, and Kaiir Elam. Pickens was clearly brought in to be WR2 across from CeeDee Lamb, Murray will fill in for the loss of Eric Kendricks, and Milton will be QB2 behind Dak Prescott. Elam, though, comes into an interesting situation. While he was never a full-time starter during his three years in Buffalo, Elam is expected to have a significant role on the Cowboys defense, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic.

While Elam never quite lived up to his first-round status with the Bills, he put forth fairly consistent performances each season. Though injuries have caused him to miss significant time (22 of a possible 51 games) in Buffalo, Dallas will be hoping he can come through during a time when injuries are hitting the team hard.

Last season, the Cowboys saw both Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland miss significant amounts of time. Bland quickly got back up to speed and began to show signs of returning to the All-Pro greatness he displayed in 2023. Diggs, though, is working his way back from knee surgery, and while he is aiming for a return by the time the season opener rolls around, his timeline for return is certainly in question. Mix in the loss of Jourdan Lewis to Jacksonville in free agency after a strong year in the slot, and the team has several questions to answer at the cornerback position.

Part of the solution could be third-round draft pick Shavon Revel, who was receiving first-round buzz prior to suffering a torn ACL early into his final season at East Carolina. Revel should be ready to play by the time the regular season begins, but he’s not projected to return until sometime mid-training camp.

With things the way they are, Machota makes it clear: “Bland is one starter, Elam is another.” As we discussed at the end of May, Bland has been working more this offseason in the slot. He’s excelled both inside and outside during his short time in Dallas, which makes him extremely valuable to the team in this situation. In a contract year, Bland likely isn’t going to want to establish himself as a nickelback, considering the highest-paid nickelback in the NFL (Taron Johnson, $10.25MM per year) makes just over half the salary of the highest-paid outside cornerback (Denzel Ward, $20.1MM per year). He’ll need to hope, instead, that the Cowboys will reward him for his flexibility and versatility.

So, Bland and Elam are starting, then when an additional cornerback comes on, it could be Revel that comes in, shifting Bland inside. Or it could be Israel Mukuamu coming into the slot, keeping Bland out wide. Mukuamu has never really played significant snaps in any season, but last year, he saw more time at nickelback than he did at any other secondary position.

When Diggs comes back, things will be clearer. He and Bland will start together, and Bland can shift inside whenever Elam or Revel come in for sets that require more defensive backs. Until then, though, Elam is expected to play a major role in stabilizing the position group to open up the season.

2026 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

NFL teams have until May 1 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2022 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
  • Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th-highest salaries at their position:
    • At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
    • A 75% snap average across all three seasons
    • At least 50% in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position

We covered how last year’s Pro Bowl invites affected the 2022 first-round class. With the deadline looming, we will use the space below to track all the 2026 option decisions from around the league:

  1. DE/OLB Travon Walker, Jaguars ($14.75MM): Exercised
  2. DE/OLB Aidan Hutchinson, Lions ($19.87MM): Exercised
  3. CB Derek Stingley Jr., Texans ($17.6MM): Extended through 2029
  4. CB Sauce Gardner, Jets ($20.19MM): Exercised
  5. OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, Giants ($14.75MM): Exercised
  6. T Ikem Ekwonu, Panthers ($17.56MM): Exercised
  7. T Evan Neal, Giants ($16.69MM): Declined
  8. WR Drake London, Falcons ($16.82MM): Exercised
  9. T Charles Cross, Seahawks ($17.56MM): Exercised
  10. WR Garrett Wilson, Jets ($16.82MM): Exercised
  11. WR Chris Olave, Saints ($15.49MM): Exercised
  12. WR Jameson Williams, Lions ($15.49MM): Exercised
  13. DT Jordan Davis, Eagles ($12.94MM): Exercised
  14. S Kyle Hamilton, Ravens ($18.6MM): Exercised
  15. G Kenyon Green, Eagles* ($16.69MM): Declined
  16. WR Jahan Dotson, Eagles** ($16.82MM): Declined
  17. G Zion Johnson, Chargers ($17.56MM): Declined
  18. WR Treylon Burks, Titans ($15.49MM): Declined
  19. T Trevor Penning, Saints ($16.69MM): Declined
  20. QB Kenny Pickett, Browns*** ($22.12MM): Declined
  21. CB Trent McDuffie, Chiefs ($13.63MM): Exercised
  22. LB Quay Walker, Packers ($14.75MM): Declined
  23. CB Kaiir Elam, Cowboys**** ($12.68MM): Declined
  24. G Tyler Smith, Cowboys ($20.99MM): Exercised
  25. C Tyler Linderbaum, Ravens ($20.99MM): Declined
  26. DE Jermaine Johnson, Jets ($13.92MM): Exercised
  27. LB Devin Lloyd, Jaguars ($14.75MM): Exercised
  28. DT Devonte Wyatt, Packers ($12.94MM): Exercised
  29. G Cole Strange, Patriots ($16.69MM): Declined
  30. DE George Karlaftis, Chiefs ($15.12MM): Exercised
  31. DB Dax Hill, Bengals ($12.68MM): Exercised
  32. S Lewis Cine, Vikings: N/A

* = traded from Texans on March 11, 2025
** = traded from Commanders on August 22, 2024
*** = traded from Eagles on March 15, 2024; traded from Steelers on March 10, 2025
**** = traded from Bills to Cowboys on March 12, 2025

Cowboys Passing On CB Kaiir Elam’s Fifth-Year Option

The Bills effectively admitted a mistake on Kaiir Elam, trading the former first-rounder in a pick-swap deal that only produced a 2025 fifth. The Cowboys took a flier on the fourth-year cornerback, but they will not authorize an eight-figure guarantee to conduct an extended evaluation.

One of this year’s easier fifth-year option decisions to predict, Elam will see his declined, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes. Elam will move into a contract year. Although Elam’s lack of playing time would have tied him to the lowest number on the CB option ladder ($12.68MM), that still represents a tough ask based on his performance to date.

[RELATED: 2026 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker]

Buffalo traded up to No. 23 for Elam in 2022, though it is believed the team’s top CB target was Trent McDuffie. The future Chiefs standout is now a two-time All-Pro (though, his lack of a Pro Bowl nod left him eligible for a cheaper fifth-year option price), and Elam’s Bills swan song featured Kansas City targeting the backup after Christian Benford‘s latest ill-timed injury. Elam’s chance to rebound after the extended AFC championship game cameo will come in Dallas.

While Elam was ticketed to play opposite Tre’Davious White once the former All-Pro recovered from a 2021 ACL tear, Benford’s rise impeded that. Elam was given more chances to start, but the Florida alum could not capitalize on them. Following White’s Achilles tear in October 2023, the Bills traded for Rasul Douglas to play opposite Benford. That setup lasted 1 1/2 years, as Elam only played as a backup during Douglas’ time in Buffalo.

The Cowboys have some questions at corner, having seen Trevon Diggs go down with a second major knee injury. The former All-Pro is not viewed as a lock to begin the season on time, opening a door for Elam. But the Cowboys also used a second-round pick on East Carolina’s Shavon Revel. A first-round talent, Revel slipped to the second because of an ACL tear sustained last year. Revel is expected to be ready before the regular season. Elam, then, profiles as a backup and potential insurance option for a Cowboys team that returns All-Pro DaRon Bland.

The recoveries of Diggs and Revel will open the door to extensive offseason work, and potentially training camp first-string reps, for Elam. The soon-to-be 24-year-old defender has made 12 career starts. It will be interesting to see if Dallas adds another starter-level option as Diggs insurance, but as of now, Elam is that player heading into OTAs.

Bills To Trade CB Kaiir Elam To Cowboys

After three seasons with the Bills, Kaiir Elam is on the move. Buffalo has agreed to trade the former first-round corner to the Cowboys, as first reported by The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.

Dallas will send Buffalo a fifth-round pick in 2025 along with a future seventh-rounder in exchange for Elam and a sixth-round selection, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. This will give Elam a fresh start after struggling to carve out a starting role on the Bills’ defense. Presuming the Cowboys intend to decline his fifth-year option this spring, 2025 will represent his walk year. Confirming the deal, the Bills announced the seventh-round pick will be in 2026.

Elam had a strong three-year college career at Florida, and expectations were high upon arrival in Buffalo as the No. 23 pick in the 2022 draft. He made six starts and 13 appearances as a rookie, collecting a pair of interceptions. That showcased his potential to an extent, but since then Elam has not developed as hoped.

The 23-year-old tore an ankle ligament prior to the start of his second Bills season, and after attempting to play through the injury he was on injured reserve for an extended stretch. Elam appeared in only three games that year, finding himself passed on the depth chart by Christian Benford (who has set himself up well to be one of the next Bills to secure a lucrative extension). Even without Tre’Davious White in the fold in 2024, Elam only handled a 35% snap share on defense, something which further fueled trade speculation.

The latter’s departure will clear up $2.57MM in cap space for the Bills. That figure represents Elam’s 2025 salary as he looks to build his value during the final year of his rookie contract. Earning at least a rotational role in a secondary which is set to lose longtime slot starter Jourdan Lewis would give the Cowboys a cost-effective option at the cornerback spot. Dallas still has Trevon Diggs on the books through 2028 (as his knee rehab continues), while fellow perimeter cover man DaRon Bland is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

Last August, the Cowboys made a similar move in trading for cornerback Andrew BoothThe former Vikings second-rounder had a modest role on defense with Dallas in 2024, and he too is set to see his rookie deal expire after the coming campaign. It will be interesting to see if the buy-low approach with Elam pans out and leads to a long-term commitment from his new team.

Bills Shift La’el Collins To Guard; Latest On Team’s CB Situation

La’el Collins has worked exclusively at tackle since 2017. The Cowboys’ position change at the time stuck, with the former first-round guard prospect quickly establishing himself as a right tackle starter. Eight years after he last played guard in a game, the former Dallas and Cincinnati starter’s last shot with Buffalo appears to hinge on a move back.

The Bills are now viewing Collins as a guard-only option, according to The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia (subscription required). This has been an interesting transition for the veteran blocker, as the Bills had hoped he would become a swing backup. But Collins has struggled, putting his roster spot in jeopardy.

A pre-camp assessment of Collins’ likelihood for the 53-man roster pointed to a bubble scenario forming, but the Bills guaranteed the 86-game starter $1.5MM upon signing him in April. Collins had visited late last season but did not sign. The Bengals cut Collins from their reserve/PUP list last September, leading to a missed season. Collins had sustained ACL and MCL tears in Week 16 of the 2022 campaign, and the Bengals were generally unhappy with their three-year, $21MM free agency investment in the veteran tackle.

Cincinnati had shut the door on Collins potentially moving to guard to accommodate Orlando Brown Jr.‘s arrival last year, but it appears the Bills view him differently. Collins started 14 games at guard from 2015-16, but a foot injury ended his run as an inside presence. Dallas shifted the LSU product to tackle before the 2017 season and used him as its RT starter in four of the next five seasons. This transition scored Collins two Cowboys extensions. Now 31, he faces a challenge to reacclimate to guard.

Collins and Will Clapp have struggled during the run-up to cutdown day, Buscaglia adds, noting the Bills subbed out the veterans for younger players while the second-team offense was in the game against the Steelers. Clapp started 11 Chargers games last season, filling in for Corey Linsley after the latter’s move to the NFI list, and has made 21 career starts. Clapp, 28, and Collins represent the only veteran backup options for Buffalo up front, but the team is trying UDFA Richard Gouraige at both tackle and guard.

Gouraige, a 2023 signee, spent last season on Buffalo’s practice squad. The team has 2023 swing tackle Ryan Van Demark and rookie fifth-rounder Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, an All-American center at Georgia, locked into roster spots. Ditto Alec Anderson, a 2022 UDFA, Buscaglia adds. Anderson has yet to play a regular-season snap, but it appears the Bills trust him more than the newly acquired vets.

Collins and Clapp would provide experience, and while there might be room on the Bills’ roster for one of the two, the team may not want to carry both. Clapp signed a one-year, $1.29MM deal with $288K guaranteed.

Elsewhere on the Bills’ roster, it does not look like Kaiir Elam is expected to unseat Christian Benford at cornerback. The latter, a former sixth-round pick who quickly usurped the ex-first-rounder back in 2022, has a “vise grip” on the team’s boundary CB job opposite Rasul Douglas, the Buffalo News’ Mark Gaughan writes.

Elam has only started eight games since being the No. 23 overall pick in 2022. Benford, conversely, has made 19 starts — including 14 last season. Elam tore an ankle ligament before last season and landed on IR after attempting to play through the malady. While Gaughan indicates Elam has not accounted himself poorly, Benford has been better and appears in no danger of losing his starting job. Pro Football Focus ranked Benford as last year’s eighth-best corner.

The Bills benched Elam in November 2022 and have not relied on him as a regular starter since. Even with Tre’Davious White now in Los Angeles, Elam appears on track to enter the season as a backup.