Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023.

The Buffalo Bills are getting healthier on defense, and that means they will face an important — and potentially risky — roster decision on cornerback Kaiir Elam.

The Bills placed Elam on injured reserve in November in a move that made room for them to sign veteran defensive tackle Linval Joseph. Elam had struggled with inconsistent play early in the season, culminating with a healthy scratch in a game against the New England Patriots. Bills head coach Sean McDermott revealed afterward that Elam had been dealing with a “nagging ankle” injury, which led to him being placed on IR.

The Bills had opened Elam’s practice window earlier in the month, and WGR 550 reporter Sal Capaccio noted that left the team with an imminent decision on his future.

Bills Must Make Roster Move on Kaiir Elam
As Capaccio reported on December 26, the Bills had a little less than a day to determine whether Elam would return for the final stretch of the season or be shut down for the year.

“Kaiir Elam’s 21-day practice window closes today,” Capaccio noted. “The Bills will have until 4 PM ET tomorrow/Wednesday to activate him to the 53-man roster or have him stay on IR for the remainder of the season.”

The Bills have other roster decisions looming, including the potential return of defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. Because they are tight on roster space, Capaccio reported that the Bills could potentially activate Elam and then release him with the intention of signing him back to the practice squad, but it would be a risky move as he believed the second-year cornerback would be “highly unlikely” to pass waivers without being claimed by another team.

Kaiir Elam Remained Confident Despite Struggles
Elam came to the Bills with some high expectations as the Bills traded up in the first round in 2022 to land him. Elam was expected to fill the void while All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White finished up rehab for a torn ACL, and he ended up starting six games before ultimately losing his spot to fellow rookie Christian Benford.

As he continued to struggle in his second year and saw his role on the team continue to shrink, Elam faced trade rumors at this season’s trade deadline. Elam addressed his struggles in an interview with The Buffalo News, saying he still had faith in the team and himself despite being benched.

#Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam opened up about tearing a ligament in his foot in preseason and how much it impacted his play when thrown into the lineup following Tre White’s injury. Elam is happy, healthy and ready for a chance to avoid the bust label.https://t.co/iyMpjVPNT0

— Nick Sabato (@NickSabatoGNN) December 13, 2023

“It’s the team that drafted me. I love (general manager) Brandon Beane and his belief in me and I love the town of Buffalo,” Elam said. “The people here, I’ve never been anywhere like this, where the people really care. I’m going to continue to work my butt off. This is the team that took a chance on me, believed in me, and drafted me. I think I can help us win. I just have to keep competing.”

The Bills could get a boost if Elam is able to return this year. After White went down with a season-ending torn Achilles, the Bills landed cornerback Rasul Douglas in a trade-deadline deal with the Green Bay Packers and added veteran Josh Norman for depth.

Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions for Heavy.com. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty

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