Bills disappointed in Elam's potential to contribute this year? (unfounded internet rumor)

[ControllerOfPlanetX]

We should have cut 17 after his first week of practice.

[Beck Water]

5 hours ago, Einstein said:

Tough to trust random people on the internet but I found this story from a fan potentially concerning. The fan who wrote this has been a member of that Bills forum for 19 years, so I'm hoping he wouldn't just make this up.

 

"One of the beat writers was at a wedding I was at this past weekend. Not gonna say who. He 'says' that word around camp is that Elam isn’t anywhere near where the Bills had hoped in terms of starting week one or contributing." (link)

 

I know there have been reports that he has struggled at times, but I hadn't yet seen anything that indicates that the Bills are realizing that Elam is just not ready to contribute. Especially upsetting with reports than McDuffie has looked impressive in Chiefs camp. 

 

Well, my girlfriend's best friend's Parrot Walker heard that the cousin of the Bills Assistant Trainer's equipment manager thinks he's right on track.

[dgrochester55]

Perhaps they meant Keenum instead of Elam

[BigDingus]

I know we all don't want it to be true, but Elam's struggles have been reported pretty consistently since camp started.

 

Can't put any stock into some unknown guy at a wedding's take, but there's enough smoke around the subject in general that it's at least partially true imo.

 

Then again, that doesn't mean the Bills don't plan to use him much this season either... only that Elam has a lot of work to do.

[Chicagobills]

He made a couple nice plays today 

[Rigotz]

8 minutes ago, BigDingus said:

I know we all don't want it to be true, but Elam's struggles have been reported pretty consistently since camp started.

 

Can't put any stock into some unknown guy at a wedding's take, but there's enough smoke around the subject in general that it's at least partially true imo.

 

Then again, that doesn't mean the Bills don't plan to use him much this season either... only that Elam has a lot of work to do.

Just imagine… a rookie struggling to learn an entirely new playbook and system… we should cut him.

 

Pretty sure they said the same thing about Spencer Brown past year along with Ja’Marr Chase and the vast majority of other ROOKIES.

[Doc]

12 minutes ago, BigDingus said:

I know we all don't want it to be true, but Elam's struggles have been reported pretty consistently since camp started.

 

Can't put any stock into some unknown guy at a wedding's take, but there's enough smoke around the subject in general that it's at least partially true imo.

 

Then again, that doesn't mean the Bills don't plan to use him much this season either... only that Elam has a lot of work to do.

 

Did you watch the game today?

[Rubes]

41 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

Did you watch the game today?

 

I was pretty impressed with his play overall.

 

[Beck Water]

58 minutes ago, BigDingus said:

I know we all don't want it to be true, but Elam's struggles have been reported pretty consistently since camp started.

 

Can't put any stock into some unknown guy at a wedding's take, but there's enough smoke around the subject in general that it's at least partially true imo.

 

Then again, that doesn't mean the Bills don't plan to use him much this season either... only that Elam has a lot of work to do.

 

I think it's been clear that Elam has struggled in zone coverage and doesn't look as though he's gonna make us say "Tre who?" any time soon.

 

OTOH, I don't think it means he's "no where near where the Bills hoped" either.  If there's one position I trust our FO to evaluate and our coaches to develop, that would be CB.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, ControllerOfPlanetX said:

We should have cut 17 after his first week of practice.

 

Didn't throw a pass that hit the hospitality tent, so, No.

[BigDingus]

47 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

I think it's been clear that Elam has struggled in zone coverage and doesn't look as though he's gonna make us say "Tre who?" any time soon.

 

OTOH, I don't think it means he's "no where near where the Bills hoped" either.  If there's one position I trust our FO to evaluate and our coaches to develop, that would be CB.

 

I don't disagree at all. There's no part of me that thinks he's not going to be a good player.

 

I just think there's been enough discussion around his struggles in this system during camp that pretending they're untrue is just wishful thinking.

[Warcodered]

1 hour ago, Rigotz said:

Just imagine… a rookie struggling to learn an entirely new playbook and system… we should cut him.

 

Pretty sure they said the same thing about Spencer Brown past year along with Ja’Marr Chase and the vast majority of other ROOKIES.

Going up against players we expect to be able to get open against the lock down corners of the league, I mean clearly not being able to do that consistently means he's terrible.

[aceman_16]

9 minutes ago, BigDingus said:

 

I don't disagree at all. There's no part of me that thinks he's not going to be a good player.

 

I just think there's been enough discussion around his struggles in this system during camp that pretending they're untrue is just wishful thinking.

After attending a few practices....I think the coaches put Elam in spots to successfully fail.  They know he is a good 1:1 cover guy so they have been tossing him in zone plays for him to get better on that aspect of his game.

[ghostwriter]

How could you not expect him to struggle in camp? Was he not going up against Josh freaking Allen? Give the kid time!

[BigDingus]

23 minutes ago, aceman_16 said:

After attending a few practices....I think the coaches put Elam in spots to successfully fail.  They know he is a good 1:1 cover guy so they have been tossing him in zone plays for him to get better on that aspect of his game.

 

Could be, but he's a 1st round CB just like Tre. Most of the time you expect those players to be starting or pushing to start right off the bat. And since there's currently a missing #1 CB slot to fill, that's one more space to fill. 

Coaches would likely be wanting him to contribute pretty quickly. McDermott was the same guy who got rid of young Ronald Darby right off the bat before he ever played a game for him, just because he was mostly a man coverage guy. Didn't give him any time to "successfully fail," or try to fit him into a new system. 

 

Again, I think Elam will end up being good. I'm just not naively thinking all the talk about his struggles were created out of thin air.

Edited August 14, 2022 by BigDingus

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, Rubes said:

 

I was pretty impressed with his play overall.

 

Me too. He looked solid and has a lot to learn. The game didn't look too fast for him. 

[Orlando Buffalo]

11 minutes ago, Victory Formation said:

How could you not expect him to struggle in camp? Was he not going up against Josh freaking Allen? Give the kid time!

Not to mention Diggs routinely destroys Howard on Miami and Jackson on NE who are now each paid $25 million a year because they are good. Elam is good for a rookie and hopefully in 17 games will be a great player and ready for the playoffs

[chongli]

9 hours ago, Einstein said:

 The fan who wrote this has been a member of that Bills forum for 19 years,

 

Didn't think that forum existed anymore because I always got a broken link, but I see they updated the main page url.

[sven233]

I guess I don't know what some people expect.  He's drafted 23rd overall as pretty much a press man corner with very limited zone coverage time.  He joins what may be the best team in the NFL and is immediately thrown up against Diggs (a top 5 NFL WR) and Davis (potentially a top 20 NFL WR) day in and day out.  Oh, and those WRs have arguably the best QB in the world throwing them the ball.  He wins some battles and loses some.  He struggles a bit in picking up a zone scheme but gets a little better every day.

 

What do you expect is going to happen?  Him to come out and just dominate one of the best offenses in the NFL?  He'll be fine.  He won't see a better pair of WRs too often.  He'll be just fine.  It's just time on task at this point.

[Doc]

So since Jackson and Neal didn't play, does that mean they're the starting CBs (at the moment)?