Elam now CB4 and playing kickoff coverage in the preseason

[MJS]

1 minute ago, machine gun kelly said:

For me, once a guy’s drafted, it can’t be a consideration as to playing time.  I watched the highlights on you tube and to their credit, each quarter was 8-10 minutes so didn’t miss much of the game.  There are injuries every year and we need 4 quality CB’s.  It’s just instead of #2 as projected from the draft, he’s #4.  It’s certainly a disappointment for a 1st pick, but the idea was good.  I think McBeane is going to keep him.

 

On a separate note, I liked what I saw from Benford. 

I think it will be somewhat of a platoon. If they want press, man coverage, Elam could come on the field and excel.

 

And that might be more this year, because McDermott will be blitzing more.

[BarleyNY]

6 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Anyone else remember before TC when Joe B suggested Elam may be a trade candidate and everyone called him an idiot? 

I think they should keep Elam at this point. Unless they are sure he can’t “get it”. His contract is fully guaranteed so we’re paying him either way. That also makes it more difficult to trade him (unless we would reassume his contract if he’s cut by the new team). Otherwise I doubt any team gives up an asset for him at this point. Maybe if they were in a similar spot with a player and contract. 

[TheBrownBear]

Convert to MLB. Profit.

[machine gun kelly]

4 minutes ago, MJS said:

I think it will be somewhat of a platoon. If they want press, man coverage, Elam could come on the field and excel.

 

And that might be more this year, because McDermott will be blitzing more.

I was thinking the same.  There will be certain teams we want more press man coverage and that is his strength.  Benford was made for more zone backing u- Dane.  Dane’s going to get the starting job.

[MPL]

Could the story here be less about Elam and more about Benford being a gem of a pick? But I don't know anything so don't listen to me. 

Also, passing league. CB depth is good, right? Or would you rather have Jamarcus Ingram out there? (I know he had a nice little int today). Or worse, Cam Lewis?!

 

No, no. Give me Elam as CB 3/4 and say, wow, that Benford kid keeps surprising!

[Johnny Hammersticks]

30 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

They reached for a position of need. 

How do you know Kaiir wasn’t the guy they were targeting all along?  You don’t…

[Coach Tuesday]

I just can’t get too excited either way about this.  It happens.  At least they went for a premium position in Round 1.  They hit on Benford.  The process is correct just like SF can’t be too ridiculed for missing on Lance and hitting on Purdy.

 

It’s the rest of that draft that really irks me - Cook (no need for that pick in around 2), Benard (can’t play), Shakir (can’t play), Azeria, Tenuta, Spector.  Benford salvages it a bit but man - Beane ate dirt in 2022.

[Billl]

49 minutes ago, MJS said:

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

Well that’s good because Myles Boykin gave him a push at the LOS on the first snap of the second half last week that send him flying onto his butt.  I didn’t realize that the new defensive scheme McDermott utilizes doesn’t require CBs to tackle.  Elam clearly did, though.  Hopefully they got that grass stain off the seat of his white pants.

[BigDingus]

Hate to say I told ya so.

 

People can blame McDermott all they want & say how great Elam is, but it's extremely clear there's a reason he's not starting.

 

It's not because we fans know so much better than our coaches... they see him every day & analyze every little detail on film and in person. Do you think they want their 1st round pick to be riding the bench or playing ST? Hell no! 

 

Do you think they drafted Benford in the 6th round  because they thought he was better than their 1st round pick? NO. But somehow Benford has managed to move his way up both last year & this year. Dane Jackson was drafted in the 7th round, and he worked his way into the starting rotation too. Even with Tre out, Elam has not been able to do the same.

[DCofNC]

Not sure how many times Beane needs to see, YOU DON’T DRAFT FOR NEED and succeed.  
 

These continued draft misses are killing this roster.

[Virgil]

24 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

They knew who he was and his strengths before the damn draft yet a nickel zone team still takes him?  Unbelievable??  Better get something for him.

 

From everything I've heard about the FO and how they draft, they look for potential and build.  I'm sure Elam was someone they felt had all the potential in the world and could be molded to fit their system.  Doesn't always work out.  Regardless, I have no doubt he'd be more successful in a different system and has great value.  With team control for 3 more years at a cheap cost, I would definitely expect at least a 2nd if they tried to trade him.

4 minutes ago, BigDingus said:

Hate to say I told ya so.

 

People can blame McDermott all they want & say how great Elam is, but it's extremely clear there's a reason he's not starting.

 

It's not because we fans know so much better than our coaches... they see him every day & analyze every little detail on film and in person. Do you think they want their 1st round pick to be riding the bench or playing ST? Hell no! 

 

Do you think they drafted Benford in the 6th round  because they thought he was better than their 1st round pick? NO. But somehow Benford has managed to move his way up both last year & this year. Dane Jackson was drafted in the 7th round, and he worked his way into the starting rotation too. Even with Tre out, Elam has not been able to do the same.

 

I always think about Cousins and RG3, or even more recently the Lance and Purdy situation.

 

These things just happen

[DCofNC]

Just now, Virgil said:

 

From everything I've heard about the FO and how they draft, they look for potential and build.  I'm sure Elam was someone they felt had all the potential in the world and could be molded to fit their system.  Doesn't always work out.  Regardless, I have no doubt he'd be more successful in a different system and has great value.  With team control for 3 more years at a cheap cost, I would definitely expect at least a 2nd if they tried to trade him.

They better get at least that considering the dead cap is 4x what he costs to keep.

[Virgil]

1 minute ago, DCofNC said:

They better get at least that considering the dead cap is 4x what he costs to keep.

 

I've never fully understood how the dead cap works with rookie deals, especially since he's not getting paid much these next 3 years.  With how tight we are to the cap, that dead cap hit could be a saving grace factor for him staying.  But who knows

[DCofNC]

18 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

I just can’t get too excited either way about this.  It happens.  At least they went for a premium position in Round 1.  They hit on Benford.  The process is correct just like SF can’t be too ridiculed for missing on Lance and hitting on Purdy.

 

It’s the rest of that draft that really irks me - Cook (no need for that pick in around 2), Benard (can’t play), Shakir (can’t play), Azeria, Tenuta, Spector.  Benford salvages it a bit but man - Beane ate dirt in 2022.

Could not agree more.  I didn’t like a single pick out of the first 3 rounds, you had a guy they panic picked in round 1, over drafted a non-starter at RB in 2 and took a guy that may have been undrafted in round 3.  Just awful.

1 minute ago, Virgil said:

 

I've never fully understood how the dead cap works with rookie deals, especially since he's not getting paid much these next 3 years.  With how tight we are to the cap, that dead cap hit could be a saving grace factor for him staying.  But who knows

Signing bonus gets fast forwarded to this year.  That’s the killer.

[nucci]

22 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

I just can’t get too excited either way about this.  It happens.  At least they went for a premium position in Round 1.  They hit on Benford.  The process is correct just like SF can’t be too ridiculed for missing on Lance and hitting on Purdy.

 

It’s the rest of that draft that really irks me - Cook (no need for that pick in around 2), Benard (can’t play), Shakir (can’t play), Azeria, Tenuta, Spector.  Benford salvages it a bit but man - Beane ate dirt in 2022.

except they gave up a lot for Lance

[Buffalo_Stampede]

1 hour ago, Process said:

I don't know. Mcdermott was literally licking his lips when Elam whipped out the notebook in the predraft interview. 

Probably liked Elam but I bet he liked the wrestling center from Iowa Tyler Linderbaum a lot more.

[BILLieve85]

1 hour ago, BullBuchanan said:

Why would you trade him? His value has to be what, a max of a 4th round pick? You'd be killing $11M of cap space for a 4th or 5th round pick? He's worth more than that as a 4th DB.

That cap room is a decent RT in the offseason. Elam is a solid CB but this team doesn’t use man enough. This team has plenty of DB depth. Oh well

[BuffaloBillyG]

45 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

I think they should keep Elam at this point. Unless they are sure he can’t “get it”. His contract is fully guaranteed so we’re paying him either way. That also makes it more difficult to trade him (unless we would reassume his contract if he’s cut by the new team). Otherwise I doubt any team gives up an asset for him at this point. Maybe if they were in a similar spot with a player and contract. 

I do as well. However I feel like a lot of the people that are calling to move Elam now bashed Joe for even suggesting it. The very fact that it's a topic here and other places show that maybe his opinion was more than click bait.

[SoMAn]

1 hour ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

They traded up to draft Elam.  Doesn’t sound like a “collective fingers crossed” move to me.  Especially with McCreary and Gordon still on the board.  I’d guess that they really liked him at the time.  

You may be right. It’s all conjecture and supposition from me. Obviously, they felt Elam was or could be better than McCreary and Gordon. Elam may suddenly ‘get it’ and turn out to be a good choice after all. But right now, he doesn’t seem to be high in the pecking order. He’s trending towards ‘bust’. 
 

 

 

 

[Virgil]

30 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

Could not agree more.  I didn’t like a single pick out of the first 3 rounds, you had a guy they panic picked in round 1, over drafted a non-starter at RB in 2 and took a guy that may have been undrafted in round 3.  Just awful.

Signing bonus gets fast forwarded to this year.  That’s the killer.

I wonder what the dead cap space was on the Trey Lance deal.