The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Apr. 2 the signing of veteran cornerback Kaiir Elam, adding experience and depth to their defensive backfield.
Elam’s addition is significant for the Chiefs as they look to bolster their secondary with a player who has both first-round pedigree and extensive NFL experience. His background and versatility could provide valuable support as the team prepares for the upcoming season.
Elam was originally selected by the Buffalo Bills as the No. 23 overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, making him one of that year’s top-rated prospects at his position. Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranked him as the fifth-best cornerback in his draft class, writing: “He is a good-sized athlete with natural cover talent and NFL-ready intangibles. With his physicality for press-man, he compares favorably to Tampa Bay’s Carlton Davis when he was coming out of Auburn.” During three seasons with Buffalo, Elam played in 29 games and recorded six passes defensed, three tackles-for-loss, and two interceptions.
Last season saw Elam split time between two teams after being traded from Buffalo to Dallas ahead of the campaign. He appeared in ten games for the Cowboys—starting seven—before being waived late November. He then joined Tennessee Titans for four games, finishing last year with a total of 33 tackles, two passes defensed, two fumble recoveries, and one tackle-for-loss over fourteen games.
Throughout his career so far, Elam has primarily lined up as an outside cornerback. Of his 1,675 career defensive snaps across four years in professional football, he played wide on more than ninety percent (1,518 snaps). In college at Florida University—where he started twenty-seven out of thirty-five appearances—he earned First-Team All-SEC honors in 2020 by leading Florida in passes defensed (13) and interceptions (2).
Elam comes from a family with strong ties to professional football; his father Abe Elam spent eight seasons playing safety in the National Football League while uncle Matt Elam was also a first-round pick who played four years for Baltimore Ravens.
