The 2025 offseason may go down as one of the worst in Dallas Cowboys history. It will forever be defined by the shocking call to trade Micah Parsons, arguably the most talented pass rusher the franchise has ever seen, but that move also overshadows several other heinous decisions.
Bringing in six new defensive players would normally generate excitement, but not when most of them are former first-round busts. That was the theme of Dallas’ roster-building last year, highlighted by trades for cornerback Kaiir Elam and linebacker Kenneth Murray.
Sure enough, Elam and Murray both went on to have dreadful seasons. At least in Murray's case, he managed to survive the whole season. Elam was waived in November and later resurfaced with the Tennessee Titans for the rest of the season.
If only due to his first-round pedigree, Elam keeps finding work, as NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that Elam has agreed to terms with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Former Dallas Cowboys CB Kaiir Elam reportedly signs with the Chiefs
The Chiefs are bleeding at cornerback after trading All-Pro Trent McDuffie to the Rams and watching fellow starter Jaylen Watson follow him there in free agency.
As such, they are a logical landing spot for LSU standout Mansoor Delane. Signing Elam doesn’t change that reality, much to the dismay of Cowboys fans hoping he falls to pick No. 12.
Simply put, it is remarkable that Elam is still in the league.
The former Florida star looked like a potential starter in training camp, but that narrative ended shortly after the season started, proving yet again that fans shouldn't put too much stock in camp performance.
Over the first two games, Elam led the NFL with 232 receiving yards allowed. In 10 games (seven starts), he allowed a 113.2 passer rating when targeted, which was seventh-highest among cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus. He was the weakest link in a secondary that couldn't help but allow explosives.
What was more infuriating than Elam’s coverage was his refusal to defend the run. He showed no ability to shed blocks and often didn’t even fill his gap. At times, it looked like he was afraid to get hit. That is about the worst thing you can say about a football player.
At the end of the day, Elam was a flawed player before he got to Dallas. He put the same things on film last season that he did in his three years with the Buffalo Bills.
The trade had a slim chance of panning out, making it no surprise that he flamed out before Thanksgiving. Odds are his luck won't change in Kansas City.