Elam now CB4 and playing kickoff coverage in the preseason

[Process]

6 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Or…it’s possible you’re reading too much into this final preseason game considering they have been giving 3 guys looks at CB2 and that the order they played today may not be an indicator of final depth chart.  It could be, but we don’t really know.  
 

They also could be showcasing one of the other DBs for a potential trade and getting them work.  
 

So before we jump to conclusions, I’d prefer to see how it plays out and what week 1 depth chart looks like.  

I don't think a potentially starting CB would be playing kickoff coverage in the second half of the third preseason game. But hey what do I know. 

[BillzFreak]

2 minutes ago, Draconator said:

I'd like to see you out the TBD door

Can we cut posters off the board on Tuesday as well lol?

[PatsFanNH]

34 minutes ago, Virgil said:

1st round pick.  He’s got to be making a couple mil, no?

It’s only his second year as a Pro, IMO I would give him at least 3 years and trade him if he doesn’t develop before year 4.  I say this because you be lucky get a 5th for him. (Seeing as how A top 3 pick only got a 4th and was a QB)

[SoonerBillsFan]

It really pains me to say it, but Beane missed on this pick badly.  I say listen to trade offers and move on at this point, heck call the Giants and see if you can get something

 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

I don’t know what to say. I have so little faith in this coaching staff to play the right players or evaluate talent. Goes back to Trent Murphy who started for three years and then was so bad he was out of the league. Teller of course is another terrible example. Bates not playing until what week 10 two years ago and that was only due to injury. Playing Bernard and of course the ultimate worst decision in NFL history - starting Peterman more than once.
Elam may not be perfect but he has more athleticism than Jackson or Belford. 
Maybe there is something we don’t know. Maybe the coaches are right. Maybe he is on drugs or is an alcoholic. All I know is he was one of the few good players on defense at the end of the year. He stood out and outplayed White in the playoffs. 
No way I trade him. They may need 4 CBs at some point due to injury. His contract is prohibitive to trade him. Benford may yet need to move to safety.

 

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

IMO, if we planned to trade him, we wouldn't have him on the field late in a preseason game and risk injury.

[Virgil]

9 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

And how do you know he is CB4?  

 

They were talking on the post game about how Benford has been moving up the depth chart the past few weeks and believe today's game was the final nail in him being DB2 and Jackson is DB3.

 

Now, is that speculation?  I have no idea.  But there's been a lot of things on the field and how they are running practice/preseason to indicate this might be very true

1 minute ago, Allen2Diggs said:

IMO, if we planned to trade him, we wouldn't have him on the field late in a preseason game and risk injury.

 

I was thinking similarly, but with a different result.  If we were trying to trade him, I wonder that we wouldn't have been trying to showcase him moreso today

5 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

It really pains me to say it, but Beane missed on this pick badly.  I say listen to trade offers and move on at this point, heck call the Giants and see if you can get something

 

 

I don't really fault him too much for it.  At the time, he was value and need.  We've done a great job developing others in the same position, but this just isn't one of those cases apparently.  If he reached and it wasn't a need, then I would agree with you.

[LeGOATski]

Meh, late first round pick who was known to be one-dimensional that they're trying to develop into an all-around starter. I don’t care if he's not starting in his 2nd season. If one of the starters goes down for the season, I have no worries about Elam playing at a level that would still help them win a championship. Moving on now would just be hurting their depth as they try to make the Super Bowl.

[Dan Darragh]

If I had time to kill and hated myself, I'd go looking for all of the threads from the last 2 years with people screaming we'd be better off without Edmunds.

 

Those did not age well, and I'm hoping this thread won't either.

[BarleyNY]

47 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

his contract?? He’s on a rookie deal

4 years, $13.7M, fully guaranteed 

[Charles Romes]

His skills have consistently shown in man-to-man. They will be needed v. The Bengals. 

[CNYfan]

Benford looked good today, I thought.

[Matt_In_NH]

1 hour ago, Process said:

 

 

I would say trade him

Do you know the cap implications of that?

[SoMAn]

Elam was exactly what coaches and GMs usually avoid in the draft - a reach. 
With Tre White’s return still uncertain and the departure of Wallace, the Bills were targeting a CB, though probably not Elam. I’m skeptical that they actually had a 1st rd grade on him.
A run on the available CBs earlier in the draft made for a desperation move. The reach. 
I’d bet the decision Beane chose didn’t come easily. There were probably players in other positions with higher grades they could take, but that would leave a gaping hole in the CB position, with a shot at another prospect more than 30 picks away. Even then, the odds of landing a starting CB after the 50th pick for a Super Bowl contender were slim. 
Elam was a consolation prize and they made the pick with their collective fingers crossed. 
 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

I’d rather have the depth at CB than an extra 2024 4th rounder.

[MJS]

43 minutes ago, Billl said:

That notebook might hold up better against blockers than Elam does.

Blockers? He's a CB. He isn't supposed to hold up against blockers.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

7 minutes ago, Dan Darragh said:

If I had time to kill and hated myself, I'd go looking for all of the threads from the last 2 years with people screaming we'd be better off without Edmunds.

 

Those did not age well, and I'm hoping this thread won't either.

Virtually no one said we would be better off without Edmunds. What we said was he is vastly overrated and not worth a second contract. Now we get to see if that is correct.

There are many Beane can do no wrong posters on here and he let Edmunds walk. So not sure how that squares with their thinking. 

[BuffBillsForLife]

I've always found it bizarre how fans are more dedicated to keeping "our guys" than the GMs who actually invested draft capital into them.  He's either not a good player or not a good fit, just get the best return you can at this point.

[Dan Darragh]

Just now, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Virtually no one said we would be better off without Edmunds. What we said was he is vastly overrated and not worth a second contract. Now we get to see if that is correct.

There are many Beane can do no wrong posters on here and he let Edmunds walk. So not sure how that squares with their thinking. 

Let me refine it.  I'd like to find out which guys posted that Edmunds wasn't worth keeping who are now posting about how worried they are about the MLB situation.  My guess is there's a lot of overlap.

[Success]

Elam is 22.  Let's not overset expectations for him.  Yes, he's a 1st rounder - but some guys grow into the expectation set by that.

 

Let's see how it plays out. He clearly has talent.