Seeking depth, Kansas City Chiefs add former Bills first-round cornerback
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chiefs sign former first‑round cornerback Kaiir Elam to bolster depth.
- Elam has 43 games, 114 tackles and four career interceptions.
- Coaching staff bets Dave Merritt can unlock Elam’s first‑round potential.
The Kansas City Chiefs are signing cornerback Kaiir Elam, as first reported by NFL Network, which cited Elam’s agent, Jon Perzley of Sportstars Inc.
Elam, 24, first entered the league as a 2022 first-round pick out of Florida, selected by the Buffalo Bills. The 6-foot-1, 191-pound cornerback never quite found his footing during three seasons in Buffalo, logging 29 appearances but just 12 starts.
The Bills traded Elam to the Dallas Cowboys during the 2025 offseason. The Cowboys waived Elam in November 2025, and he landed with the Tennessee Titans days later.
The Bills originally selected Elam with the No. 23 overall pick — two picks after the Chiefs traded up for future All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie at No. 21. A clip from the Bills’ in-house documentary series, “Embedded,” fueled speculation that perhaps Buffalo preferred McDuffie over Elam.
In his 43 total appearances over four years, Elam compiled 114 tackles and eight passes defensed, including two interceptions (both in his rookie season). Elam also recorded two interceptions in five playoff appearances.
Now in Kansas City, Elam joins Kristian Fulton, Nohl Williams, Kevin Knowles and Kader Kohou in the cornerback room. The Chiefs are placing a low-risk bet that their coaching staff can get the most out of the former first-round talent.
