Elam a healthy scratch part deux (now part TRES) (now part QUATRO)

[Billl]

20 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

I think it would be tough for the Bills to stomach the dead cap hit.

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/buffalo-bills/kaiir-elam-76877/#:~:text=Kaiir Elam signed a 4,dead cap value of %2411%2C201%2C572.

 

$11M dead cap if he’s traded this year.

 

Yeah.  Much easier after next season.  $4.1M hit to save $12.5M.  Next year would only save a little over $6M.  He's not worth his full salary, but he's worth $6M.  

[appoo]

3 hours ago, Billl said:

Yeah.  Much easier after next season.  $4.1M hit to save $12.5M.  Next year would only save a little over $6M.  He's not worth his full salary, but he's worth $6M.  

And Dane Jackson likely won’t be on the roster. Keep in mind he just turned 22 this past May. 

[skibum]

I think he's good enough to start on a lot of teams, but not this one at the moment. Why not just keep him well-preserved for now - it's very likely he will get the call before long. So it goes in the NFL - sooner or later, someone is going to get hurt. I think they're keeping him behind glass as Tre White's understudy. 

[davefan66]

14 hours ago, SCBills said:

 

I don't know if I'm there yet.  

 

Does Benford have the ability to become a CB1?  If so, I'd be inclined to agree.

 

If his ceiling is solid CB2 in our system, then a potential miss on Elam still hurts.  

 

A guy you draft in RD1 typically has traits to become a high end starter.  Elam has those traits, but it hasn't translated yet.  Does Benford?  Maybe, we'll see.. but for this to be a one for one deal, I need to see that ability from Benford.  

 

Ideally Elam figures it out and we have the option (not saying we should, but we "could") of moving off Tre next year, depending on how this year goes for him, and have a much easier job resetting our cap by moving off say... Tre White and Mitch Morse. 

Benford may have hit his ceiling, I don’t think so though.  He played way above his draft status when he came to us last year.  Has played very well since.  Will he be elite? Maybe. But he doesn’t have to be in our system, he just needs to be the best he can.

14 hours ago, HardyBoy said:

Is it possible that he's actually number two on the depth chart, just not coming in off the bench during a game?

Talent wise he could be the 2nd best CB athlete we have.  He has not translated that to the field. And no, you wouldn’t bench him if he was.  You’d get him playing time to get better.  He hasn’t even cracked the roster as a nickel CB.

Others may contribute more in ST and such, but if he was good enough, you’d play him.

 

[AuntieEm]

On 9/17/2023 at 11:50 AM, JayBaller10 said:

Number 2 would definitely be worse! 😂

 

I agree with trading him even though CB depth is always needed. But I’d only do a player for player deal. 1st round picks aren’t supposed to be depth, maybe he can become another team’s Jerry Hughes equivalent, or we can luck into another.

 

Didn't the Steelers lose their starting cbs?  Any chance they have any players we could use in a player swap,  preferably some ol talent.  

[FireChans]

1 hour ago, AuntieEm said:

 

Didn't the Steelers lose their starting cbs?  Any chance they have any players we could use in a player swap,  preferably some ol talent.  

Lmao yes the Steelers are bursting at the seams with OL talent, didn’t you watch last night?

[Your Brown Eye]

His notebook game is still fire though

[KDIGGZ]

Is Elam going to want the playbook on the plane after the Bills trade him for a swap of 7th round picks in 2025?

[Chandler#81]

On 9/17/2023 at 12:13 PM, Augie said:

 

He and Josh split?   

Welp, Josh has proven to be ‘gunbelt notcher’.. 🤷‍♂️ 

[mannc]

1 hour ago, FireChans said:

Lmao yes the Steelers are bursting at the seams with OL talent, didn’t you watch last night?

Didn’t you know that NFL teams love to give away top OL talent? Dime a dozen…

[NickelCity]

I can't shake the thought that Elam will have a successful career. I hope it's with us. 

[SCBills]

I'm not moving Elam if I'm Buffalo.

 

Dane Jackson is a FA after this year.  Let's see how White's season progresses.

 

At the very least we have a solid player in Benford and a guy who's looked good when given the chance in Elam, under contract for 2 more years after this season.

[mannc]

6 minutes ago, SCBills said:

I'm not moving Elam if I'm Buffalo.

 

Dane Jackson is a FA after this year.  Let's see how White's season progresses.

 

At the very least we have a solid player in Benford and a guy who's looked good when given the chance in Elam, under contract for 2 more years after this season.

Yep.  Cheap contract for a couple more years.  Why sell Elam at the bottom of his market?

[Fleezoid]

I'd like to see Elam get a chance against the Dolphins. I believe we need to play more press coverage against them. A lot of their plays are quick hitting throws, slants and quick throws to the flats. They're definitely trying to protect Tua by getting the ball out quick. Our CBs got to blanket those guys right off the line. 

[dorquemada]

4 minutes ago, Fleezoid said:

I'd like to see Elam get a chance against the Dolphins. I believe we need to play more press coverage against them. A lot of their plays are quick hitting throws, slants and quick throws to the flats. They're definitely trying to protect Tua by getting the ball out quick. Our CBs got to blanket those guys right off the line. 

 

mostly untested 2nd year bench warmer vs tyreek hill is the feel good story we need right now oh wait

[BillsFan692]

2 minutes ago, dorquemada said:

 

mostly untested 2nd year bench warmer vs tyreek hill is the feel good story we need right now oh wait

Tyreek Hill? Who dat? lol

[billsfan89]

I’m ok with him getting some time to cook and learn the system. I think he will play against the Dolphins as the Bills will need a fast athlete to keep up with Hill and Waddle and Elam did that pretty well last season. So expect a couple more healthy scratches and then an activation against the Fins.

[NoSaint]

8 hours ago, davefan66 said:

Benford may have hit his ceiling, I don’t think so though.  He played way above his draft status when he came to us last year.  Has played very well since.  Will he be elite? Maybe. But he doesn’t have to be in our system, he just needs to be the best he can.

Talent wise he could be the 2nd best CB athlete we have.  He has not translated that to the field. And no, you wouldn’t bench him if he was.  You’d get him playing time to get better.  He hasn’t even cracked the roster as a nickel CB.

Others may contribute more in ST and such, but if he was good enough, you’d play him.

 

though as a nickel the skill set changes too.  He could be valued more outside than inside and that be part of the issue with reps

[Airseven]

32 minutes ago, SCBills said:

I'm not moving Elam if I'm Buffalo.

 

Dane Jackson is a FA after this year.  Let's see how White's season progresses.

 

At the very least we have a solid player in Benford and a guy who's looked good when given the chance in Elam, under contract for 2 more years after this season.

 

Evidently, Elam has, in fact, not looked good when given the chance. But your point about roster flux next spring is a good one. The Bills are in no position to give away rookie contracts considering their aging vets, bloated contracts, and cap hammer that's about to drop. 

[78thealltimegreat]

Elam will get his chance soon enough maybe even next week if they need an extra DB Vs the fins.

But anyway you slice it when you look at the players that where sitting there in 2022 when the Bills picked my goodness Brandon stop drafting unique traits they don’t mean a damn thing draft a guy who actually produced on the field.