Elam now CB4 and playing kickoff coverage in the preseason

[Process]

6 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Or…it’s possible you’re reading too much into this final preseason game considering they have been giving 3 guys looks at CB2 and that the order they played today may not be an indicator of final depth chart.  It could be, but we don’t really know.  
 

They also could be showcasing one of the other DBs for a potential trade and getting them work.  
 

So before we jump to conclusions, I’d prefer to see how it plays out and what week 1 depth chart looks like.  

I don't think a potentially starting CB would be playing kickoff coverage in the second half of the third preseason game. But hey what do I know. 

[BillzFreak]

2 minutes ago, Draconator said:

I'd like to see you out the TBD door

Can we cut posters off the board on Tuesday as well lol?

[PatsFanNH]

34 minutes ago, Virgil said:

1st round pick.  He’s got to be making a couple mil, no?

It’s only his second year as a Pro, IMO I would give him at least 3 years and trade him if he doesn’t develop before year 4.  I say this because you be lucky get a 5th for him. (Seeing as how A top 3 pick only got a 4th and was a QB)

[SoonerBillsFan]

It really pains me to say it, but Beane missed on this pick badly.  I say listen to trade offers and move on at this point, heck call the Giants and see if you can get something

 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

I don’t know what to say. I have so little faith in this coaching staff to play the right players or evaluate talent. Goes back to Trent Murphy who started for three years and then was so bad he was out of the league. Teller of course is another terrible example. Bates not playing until what week 10 two years ago and that was only due to injury. Playing Bernard and of course the ultimate worst decision in NFL history - starting Peterman more than once.
Elam may not be perfect but he has more athleticism than Jackson or Belford. 
Maybe there is something we don’t know. Maybe the coaches are right. Maybe he is on drugs or is an alcoholic. All I know is he was one of the few good players on defense at the end of the year. He stood out and outplayed White in the playoffs. 
No way I trade him. They may need 4 CBs at some point due to injury. His contract is prohibitive to trade him. Benford may yet need to move to safety.

 

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

IMO, if we planned to trade him, we wouldn't have him on the field late in a preseason game and risk injury.

[Virgil]

9 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

And how do you know he is CB4?  

 

They were talking on the post game about how Benford has been moving up the depth chart the past few weeks and believe today's game was the final nail in him being DB2 and Jackson is DB3.

 

Now, is that speculation?  I have no idea.  But there's been a lot of things on the field and how they are running practice/preseason to indicate this might be very true

1 minute ago, Allen2Diggs said:

IMO, if we planned to trade him, we wouldn't have him on the field late in a preseason game and risk injury.

 

I was thinking similarly, but with a different result.  If we were trying to trade him, I wonder that we wouldn't have been trying to showcase him moreso today

5 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

It really pains me to say it, but Beane missed on this pick badly.  I say listen to trade offers and move on at this point, heck call the Giants and see if you can get something

 

 

I don't really fault him too much for it.  At the time, he was value and need.  We've done a great job developing others in the same position, but this just isn't one of those cases apparently.  If he reached and it wasn't a need, then I would agree with you.

[LeGOATski]

Meh, late first round pick who was known to be one-dimensional that they're trying to develop into an all-around starter. I don’t care if he's not starting in his 2nd season. If one of the starters goes down for the season, I have no worries about Elam playing at a level that would still help them win a championship. Moving on now would just be hurting their depth as they try to make the Super Bowl.

[Dan Darragh]

If I had time to kill and hated myself, I'd go looking for all of the threads from the last 2 years with people screaming we'd be better off without Edmunds.

 

Those did not age well, and I'm hoping this thread won't either.

[BarleyNY]

47 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

his contract?? He’s on a rookie deal

4 years, $13.7M, fully guaranteed 

[Charles Romes]

His skills have consistently shown in man-to-man. They will be needed v. The Bengals. 

[CNYfan]

Benford looked good today, I thought.

[Matt_In_NH]

1 hour ago, Process said:

 

 

I would say trade him

Do you know the cap implications of that?

[SoMAn]

Elam was exactly what coaches and GMs usually avoid in the draft - a reach. 
With Tre White’s return still uncertain and the departure of Wallace, the Bills were targeting a CB, though probably not Elam. I’m skeptical that they actually had a 1st rd grade on him.
A run on the available CBs earlier in the draft made for a desperation move. The reach. 
I’d bet the decision Beane chose didn’t come easily. There were probably players in other positions with higher grades they could take, but that would leave a gaping hole in the CB position, with a shot at another prospect more than 30 picks away. Even then, the odds of landing a starting CB after the 50th pick for a Super Bowl contender were slim. 
Elam was a consolation prize and they made the pick with their collective fingers crossed. 
 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

I’d rather have the depth at CB than an extra 2024 4th rounder.

[MJS]

43 minutes ago, Billl said:

That notebook might hold up better against blockers than Elam does.

Blockers? He's a CB. He isn't supposed to hold up against blockers.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

7 minutes ago, Dan Darragh said:

If I had time to kill and hated myself, I'd go looking for all of the threads from the last 2 years with people screaming we'd be better off without Edmunds.

 

Those did not age well, and I'm hoping this thread won't either.

Virtually no one said we would be better off without Edmunds. What we said was he is vastly overrated and not worth a second contract. Now we get to see if that is correct.

There are many Beane can do no wrong posters on here and he let Edmunds walk. So not sure how that squares with their thinking. 

[BuffBillsForLife]

I've always found it bizarre how fans are more dedicated to keeping "our guys" than the GMs who actually invested draft capital into them.  He's either not a good player or not a good fit, just get the best return you can at this point.

[Dan Darragh]

Just now, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Virtually no one said we would be better off without Edmunds. What we said was he is vastly overrated and not worth a second contract. Now we get to see if that is correct.

There are many Beane can do no wrong posters on here and he let Edmunds walk. So not sure how that squares with their thinking. 

Let me refine it.  I'd like to find out which guys posted that Edmunds wasn't worth keeping who are now posting about how worried they are about the MLB situation.  My guess is there's a lot of overlap.

[Success]

Elam is 22.  Let's not overset expectations for him.  Yes, he's a 1st rounder - but some guys grow into the expectation set by that.

 

Let's see how it plays out. He clearly has talent.

 

[4th&long]

He has Wyatt teller written all over him. Buffalo can’t figure out how to use him, he gets traded and becomes an all pro.

[TheyCallMeAndy]

Keep and develop, bolsters the depth at CB. I refuse to call him a bust, but he has been a disappointment thus far. Thankfully, we don’t need him to be starting material yet. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

1 minute ago, 4th&long said:

He has Wyatt teller written all over him. Buffalo can’t figure out how to use him, he gets traded and becomes an all pro.

A bit too soon to say that. But I am worried that could happen.

[BillzFreak]

13 minutes ago, Dan Darragh said:

If I had time to kill and hated myself, I'd go looking for all of the threads from the last 2 years with people screaming we'd be better off without Edmunds.

 

Those did not age well, and I'm hoping this thread won't either.

To be fair we still have no idea how this team is without him, but we will soon. But jumping to conclusions around here is common.

[ColoradoBills]

4 minutes ago, SoMAn said:

Elam was exactly what coaches and GMs usually avoid in the draft - a reach. 
With Tre White’s return still uncertain and the departure of Wallace, the Bills were targeting a CB, though probably not Elam. I’m skeptical that they actually had a 1st rd grade on him.
A run on the available CBs earlier in the draft made for a desperation move. The reach. 
I’d bet the decision Beane chose didn’t come easily. There were probably players in other positions with higher grades they could take, but that would leave a gaping hole in the CB position, with a shot at another prospect more than 30 picks away. Even then, the odds of landing a starting CB after the 50th pick for a Super Bowl contender were slim. 
Elam was a consolation prize and they made the pick with their collective fingers crossed. 
 

 

This regime has done a great job coaching up DBs.  For whatever reason it hasn't worked yet getting Elam to work better in zone coverage.

A little more patience is probably needed by everyone.  If he can't handle it, then next year would be the time to start to try to deal him away.

 

 

[FireChans]

18 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

Meh, late first round pick who was known to be one-dimensional that they're trying to develop into an all-around starter. I don’t care if he's not starting in his 2nd season. If one of the starters goes down for the season, I have no worries about Elam playing at a level that would still help them win a championship. Moving on now would just be hurting their depth as they try to make the Super Bowl.

We all know how this story ends. “He’s young, let him develop” yada yada yada then he’s 4th year AJE who can’t set an edge on a third string tackle.

Edited August 26, 2023 by FireChans

[Johnny Hammersticks]

4 minutes ago, SoMAn said:

Elam was exactly what coaches and GMs usually avoid in the draft - a reach. 
With Tre White’s return still uncertain and the departure of Wallace, the Bills were targeting a CB, though probably not Elam. I’m skeptical that they actually had a 1st rd grade on him.
A run on the available CBs earlier in the draft made for a desperation move. The reach. 
I’d bet the decision Beane chose didn’t come easily. There were probably players in other positions with higher grades they could take, but that would leave a gaping hole in the CB position, with a shot at another prospect more than 30 picks away. Even then, the odds of landing a starting CB after the 50th pick for a Super Bowl contender were slim. 
Elam was a consolation prize and they made the pick with their collective fingers crossed. 
 

They traded up to draft Elam.  Doesn’t sound like a “collective fingers crossed” move to me.  Especially with McCreary and Gordon still on the board.  I’d guess that they really liked him at the time.  

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 minute ago, ColoradoBills said:

 

This regime has done a great job coaching up DBs.  For whatever reason it hasn't worked yet getting Elam to work better in zone coverage.

A little more patience is probably needed by everyone.  If he can't handle it, then next year would be the time to start to try to deal him away.

 

 

What?!?! There's torches to be lit!

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by Pine Barrens Mafia

[Ethan in Cleveland]

3 minutes ago, Dan Darragh said:

Let me refine it.  I'd like to find out which guys posted that Edmunds wasn't worth keeping who are now posting about how worried they are about the MLB situation.  My guess is there's a lot of overlap.

Well I will own that. Then again I wanted Bobbie Wagner. And I wanted nothing to do with Dodson or Bernard. I was pretty consistent in my thoughts. I did come around after the draft and free agency were over to perhaps some platoon. Or maybe Milano at MLB and Williams outside in passing downs.
I stated then and still think I would have drafted a true MLB or addressed it in free agency. Drafting Bernard made no sense at the time and is now setting back the MLB position for two years. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

I'd consider trading him only if I can get good return on him, a 3rd round pick or better, or as suggested already a starting quality type MLB.

 

He's not terrible and he's cheap.  Assume Bedford is named the starter, next year can then let Jackson walk as still have White and 2 other CB's on rookie deals for 2 more seasons. 

 

Without Elam, you're either going to need to keep Jackson at higher cost, sign a FA CB again at a higher cost, or go with a rookie and be kind of thin there.

[Dan Darragh]

3 minutes ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Well I will own that. Then again I wanted Bobbie Wagner. 

Isn't he the guy that Putin whacked this week?

Edited August 26, 2023 by Dan Darragh

[ColoradoBills]

1 minute ago, Pine Barrens Mafia said:

What?!?! There's torches to be lit!

 

 

All the torches constitute a fire hazard.

 

As I see it Benford has outplayed his draft position so as of now it's a wash.  Elam still has a shot to get it together.

Crazy talk, I know.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

We should keep him because I think that McDermott will be out eventually and I think that Elam is being underutilized. I have little faith in the coaching staff right now, and I think we have issues that could lead to a disappointing season. Leslie Frazier was made a scapegoat and this negativity towards Elam from the staff seems contrived. 

 

 

19 minutes ago, 4th&long said:

He has Wyatt teller written all over him. Buffalo can’t figure out how to use him, he gets traded and becomes an all pro.

 

TOTALLY agree.... we are on the precipice of a hard fall if we just let a guy like Elam go.

[LeGOATski]

7 minutes ago, FireChans said:

We all know how this story ends. “He’s young, let him develop” yada yada yada then he’s 4th year AJE who can’t set an edge on a third string tackle.

I really don't care if all he ever becomes is high end backup/spot-starter/role player. Most late 1st rounders become that.

 

For a team with a real chance to make the Super Bowl, I'd rather they maintain their depth than trade it away 

[BarleyNY]

17 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

They reached for a position of need. 

After KC jumped them for McDuffie. 

[julian]

I’d take a 3rd in next years draft or just be happy with excellent CB depth for this year, he’s talented and has experience playing well in the postseason.

[BuffaloBillyG]

Anyone else remember before TC when Joe B suggested Elam may be a trade candidate and everyone called him an idiot? 

[machine gun kelly]

1 hour ago, MJS said:

Eh, it's preseason. And you know there will be injuries. He is a good player and he'll get playing time. If he doesn't start, that's not the end of the world. Getting some more time to develop will help.

For me, once a guy’s drafted, it can’t be a consideration as to playing time.  I watched the highlights on you tube and to their credit, each quarter was 8-10 minutes so didn’t miss much of the game.  There are injuries every year and we need 4 quality CB’s.  It’s just instead of #2 as projected from the draft, he’s #4.  It’s certainly a disappointment for a 1st pick, but the idea was good.  I think McBeane is going to keep him.

 

On a separate note, I liked what I saw from Benford. 

[HappyDays]

21 minutes ago, FireChans said:

We all know how this story ends. “He’s young, let him develop” yada yada yada then he’s 4th year AJE who can’t set an edge on a third string tackle.

 

Yeah chances are he'll never develop into the player they want. I'd still rather bet on that chance than trade him for a day 3 pick though.

 

One thing that could sway me is if we did something like trade him for Patrick Queen.

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, Virgil said:

I was going to wait until the game was over to make this exact post. 
 

I really think the Bills should take trade offers for him.  It’s not that he isn’t good. He just doesn’t fit our system.  
 

A team like the Ravens would love to have him and I’m sure there are other DB needy teams. 
 

Ideally, there’s a team out there with good OT or MLB depth that needs a DB, but this isn’t Madden. 
 

For me, if you can get a 2nd rounder, go for it 

They knew who he was and his strengths before the damn draft yet a nickel zone team still takes him?  Unbelievable??  Better get something for him.