Elam a healthy scratch part deux (now part TRES) (now part QUATRO)

[SoonerBillsFan]

19 hours ago, Irv said:

Elam busts out this week.  

Cannonball run is one of my favorites 

[GoBills808]

18 minutes ago, Capco said:

Can someone explain why some players can "play special teams" and some others (usually starter-caliber guys) cannot?  I never understood why its such an exclusive skillset.  

any starting caliber guy can play special teams

[MasterStrategist]

5 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

any starting caliber guy can play special teams

Well it's all about effort/aggressivness/willingness (attitude).

 

I'd not say any of these are Elams top skills. 

 

Something obviously happened LY, that triggered Rhodes starting and Elam being benched.  Not sure the reason ever became public knowledge.  But, it likely wasn't "performance", as Rhodes could barely run LY.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

If this makes it to week fourteen you’re getting yourself into some tricky spelling op

[CircleTheWagons99]

38 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Cannonball run is one of my favorites 

Me too, part 2 is great as well. 

[Process]

24 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

I think he is being traded JMO

It's only a matter of time

[BuffaninSarasota]

24 minutes ago, MasterStrategist said:

Well it's all about effort/aggressivness/willingness (attitude).

 

I'd not say any of these are Elams top skills. 

 

Something obviously happened LY, that triggered Rhodes starting and Elam being benched.  Not sure the reason ever became public knowledge.  But, it likely wasn't "performance", as Rhodes could barely run LY.

do you have any substantial evidence to support these observations, or is this just an opinion?

[MasterStrategist]

16 minutes ago, BuffaninSarasota said:

do you have any substantial evidence to support these observations, or is this just an opinion?

Opinion.  Hoping to be proven wrong though, Elam clearly has talent, just something not clicking. 

[Cheektowaga Chad]

1 hour ago, Capco said:

Can someone explain why some players can "play special teams" and some others (usually starter-caliber guys) cannot?  I never understood why its such an exclusive skillset.  

Also tackling is usually a huge thing on special teams, especially the position Elam would likely play needs to be a very sure tackler

 

 

 

I'll stand by my previous thoughts that Elam is just a numbers game and lack of position flexibility puts him down on the game day active list 

Edited September 30, 2023 by Cheektowaga Chad

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Just now, Cheektowaga Chad said:

Also tackling is usually a huge thing on special teams, especially the position Elam would likely play needs to be a very sure tackler

There was a time this team's 'special teams' players didn't know enough to stay in their lanes. 🤨

[Beck Water]

On 9/28/2023 at 5:09 PM, Virgil said:

If Elam doesn't dress for this game, and I'm not saying he should, I think it's fair to ask McD and Beane what that plan is going forward.  Hill is the reason we drafted Elam.

 

Yes.  Elam not under 4.3 like Hill, but legit fast, faster than anyone else on our secondary unless Tre White has gotten back to his league-entry speed.

 

It's interesting, I'm sure they want Damar Hamlin active as a backup safety with Poyer out. 

 

But I would think if they weren't just 'maumau'ing us about how close the competition between Benford, Jackson, and Elam was pre-season, this is a game where they would want Elam on the menu.

 

From the fan seat perspective, Choices to be made.

 

On 9/24/2023 at 1:36 PM, BillsUberAlles said:

I think they don't trust what he is going to give them on an every play basis yet.

 

McD's D is predicated on all players doing their job all the time...

 

I think this may have some truth to it.  Another way to put it is "not a good scheme fit"

 

On 9/29/2023 at 11:35 AM, Beast said:

Sorry, but Hill is not the reason we drafted Elam. We drafted Elam because Tre White was coming off an ACL and our other starter, Levi Wallace, left.

 

LOL if we wanted to keep Levi Wallace, we could have and would have.  Pittsburgh offered him a very moderate contract.

 

Tre White coming off ACL surgery and didn't know how/when he'd come back, was certainly a reason.  I think Tre was struggling more than the Bills let on.

 

On 9/26/2023 at 10:24 PM, gobills1212 said:

Word is he has been nicked up as well, which im sure hasnt helped the situation 

 

Elam has been 'nicked up'?  Word from where?

Edited September 30, 2023 by Beck Water

[transient]

22 hours ago, MasterStrategist said:

We offered Levi a contract, so I wouldn't say "we moved on".  Levi moved on/picked to sign with the Steelers.

 

Elam was targeted because he was graded as their best remaining corner, and we had a "need" for a starter opposite Dane.  Part of that was Elams speed, but there were faster DBs available to draft if that was the primary reason.

 

Then enter Benford, who outperformed his draft status.  Elam underperformed, and Dane re-signed on a cheap contract...and here we are.  

 

Benford, and our entire secondary, will face their greatest test to-date this weekend.  But performance has been very good so far.  So it's not like Benford is looking like a fringe starter, as of now, he grabbed his role and been consistently playing well.

Did Levi have much choice in the matter... I thought the black and yellow underwear he was wearing when he was praying on the decision was a divine indication he should sign with the Steelers.  Good thing they were clean underwear, or he may have signed with the Browns. 

[Beck Water]

On 9/29/2023 at 8:05 AM, Billl said:

Not sure why everyone feels the need to overthink this.  If he didn't completely suck, they'd have him active if even to save face for trading up in the first to draft him.  I'd they can get anything at all for him, they should move on.

 

Oh, Come On, Billl, even if you don't respect the Bills coaches very much vs your own KC guys, you can't possibly believe that professional football talent evaluators and coaches worry about "saving face" when it comes to who's active on Sunday.  That would be the best way to 'lose face' - by getting your team's butts whupped.

 

They are worried about 1) who are the best players to have on the field and who are the best subs for various package options, offense and defense? 2) a few core ST players 3) for the last few slots, which players offer the most versatile  skill sets as backups in case of injury?

 

Damar Hamlin hasn't been riding the pine because the Bills think he "completely sucks" relative to Cam Lewis.  They don't.  He started last season when Hyde went down, not Lewis.  The Bills have had Hamlin on the bench because Lewis can play CB, nickel, and Safety (and ST as well) so he offers them more versatility.

 

 

 

13 minutes ago, transient said:

Did Levi have much choice in the matter... I thought the black and yellow underwear he was wearing when he was praying on the decision was a divine indication he should sign with the Steelers.  Good thing they were clean underwear, or he may have signed with the Browns. 

 

Now this is legit funny.

Edited September 30, 2023 by Beck Water

[Ya Digg?]

On 9/29/2023 at 9:05 AM, Billl said:

Not sure why everyone feels the need to overthink this.  If he didn't completely suck, they'd have him active if even to save face for trading up in the first to draft him.  I'd they can get anything at all for him, they should move on.

To me the “if they can get anything for him” argument is idiotic. His value has never been lower, he’s on a rookie contract, and he’s worth more than the 5th round pick they would probably get for him. The system RN shouldn’t be get anything they can, it’s get something of value and if not, keep him

[Billl]

8 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Oh, Come On, Billl, even if you don't respect the Bills coaches very much vs your own KC guys, you can't possibly believe that professional football talent evaluators and coaches worry about "saving face" when it comes to who's active on Sunday.  That would be the best way to 'lose face' - by getting your team's butts whupped.

 

They are worried about 1) who are the best players to have on the field and who are the best subs for various package options, offense and defense? 2) a few core ST players 3) for the last few slots, which players offer the most versatile  skill sets as backups in case of injury?

I can’t possibly believe that high draft picks don’t get the benefit of the doubt versus late round picks?  I absolutely do believe that.  Elam is simply terrible.  I’ve said repeatedly that if anyone really wants to know why he’s been inactive, they need to watch the first drive of the second half of the preseason game against the Steelers.  He looked like the Make a Wish kid lined up out there.  It was maybe the worst performance I’ve ever seen from a CB.  If he’d been a 7th round pick, he’d be selling insurance by now.

8 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

To me the “if they can get anything for him” argument is idiotic. His value has never been lower, he’s on a rookie contract, and he’s worth more than the 5th round pick they would probably get for him. The system RN shouldn’t be get anything they can, it’s get something of value and if not, keep him

So you think his value is going to go up while he stands on the sideline in street clothes every week?

[Beck Water]

4 minutes ago, Billl said:

I can’t possibly believe that high draft picks don’t get the benefit of the doubt versus late round picks?  I absolutely do believe that. 

 

Well, fortunately for the Chiefs, your coaches don't.

[Ya Digg?]

38 minutes ago, Billl said:

I can’t possibly believe that high draft picks don’t get the benefit of the doubt versus late round picks?  I absolutely do believe that.  Elam is simply terrible.  I’ve said repeatedly that if anyone really wants to know why he’s been inactive, they need to watch the first drive of the second half of the preseason game against the Steelers.  He looked like the Make a Wish kid lined up out there.  It was maybe the worst performance I’ve ever seen from a CB.  If he’d been a 7th round pick, he’d be selling insurance by now.

So you think his value is going to go up while he stands on the sideline in street clothes every week?

What is trading him going to do at this point? Best case scenario, in your mind what can they get for him? 

[Beast]

6 hours ago, Beck Water said:

 

LOL if we wanted to keep Levi Wallace, we could have and would have.  Pittsburgh offered him a very moderate contract.

 

Tre White coming off ACL surgery and didn't know how/when he'd come back, was certainly a reason.  I think Tre was struggling more than the Bills let on.

I don’t care if it would have cost 1 dollar to keep Wallace. The obvious point is that the Bills didn’t and were down two starters starting the 2022 off-season.

 

Not really that hard of a concept to grasp.

 

For some.

Edited October 1, 2023 by Beast

[EmotionallyUnstable]

7 hours ago, Process said:

It's only a matter of time

 

8 hours ago, HOUSE said:

I think he is being traded JMO

An aging Tre White, and both Dane Jackson and Cam Lewis 2024 UFAs make me think otherwise 

[ColoradoBills]

Not Active:

Poyer

Ifedi

Anderson

Jonathan or Ford (both are the 5th DE/DT respectively.  Maybe a chance they both sit?)

 

It leaves me with Elam having about a 50/50 chance of dressing.  If he does dress, they may have some DB sets where he comes in

to jam and run tight with a WR (not necessarily Hill).  If it worked, he could see more snaps.

 

It does give an option for a twist on D compared with having Ford and Jonathan who combined don't even have 1 tackle yet.