The Dallas Cowboys made several offseason trades with the biggest being the addition of George Pickens. This isn’t a new philosophy for the front office, But one of the trades that was lost in the shuffle was the Cowboys acquiring Kaiir Elam, a former first-round pick at cornerback from the Bils
Elam was in and out of the lineup in Buffalo as he never lived up to the hype of a first-round pick. And after a disappointing postseason performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, it was time for both parties to move on.
Elam has had a strong offseason so far for the Cowboys and is set to be one of the team’s starting cornerbacks when they open up the season against the Eagles. And while that might seem like too big of a spotlight for the former Florida Gators cornerback, he’s been one of their most consistent players in offseason workouts.
In a recent article by ESPN, the site asked their 32 beat writers to name the biggest surprise player from offseason workouts. For the Cowboys, that player was none other than Elam.
Cowboys CB Kaiir Elam is off to a fantastic start
Here is what Todd Archer had to say about Elam and his expected role for the 2025 season:
"... He started just 12 games in three seasons with two picks, but he flashed on numerous occasions in the OTAs and minicamp. He had multiple interceptions and dropped two more. He also showed the ability to run with receivers. Maybe things change when the pads come on in training camp, but given the uncertainty the Cowboys have at cornerback with Trevon Diggs and third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. working back from knee surgeries, they need Elam to be a factor."
"The Cowboys have a lot of cornerback depth, but there are numerous players coming off season-ending injuries (Trevon Diggs, Shavon Revel, Josh Butler, and Caelen Carson). That means Dallas will lean heavily on Elam early in the season to steady the ship until the reinforcements are ready."
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Dallas doesn’t need Elam to play like a former first-round pick. They just need him to be a solid, reliable option on the outside. And so far, it seems like that won’t be an issue.
It appears he’s already picking up Matt Eberflus’ defense, and with one of the league’s best pass rushes in front of him, maybe this is the scheme that will finally unlock the best version of Kaiir Elam.
The former first-round pick undoubtedly needed a change of scenery and cornerback was one of Dallas' biggest needs entering the offseason. While Elam isn't as proven as other vets the front office has acquired in recent years, this new partnership looks like it could flourish.