The Kansas City Chiefs made an addition to their secondary on Thursday, signing veteran cornerback Kaiir Elam.
Here are five things to know about the newest member of the defense.
1. Elam was a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Buffalo Bills selected Elam with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, making him the fourth cornerback selected that year. He was ranked as the No. 5 cornerback in Dane Brugler's draft guide for The Athletic, who wrote the following:
"He is a good-sized athlete with natural cover talent and NFL-ready intangibles. With his physicality for press-man, he compares favorably to Tampa Bay's Carlton Davis when he was coming out of Auburn."
Elam went on to play three seasons in Buffalo, logging six passes defensed, three tackles-for-loss and two interceptions in 29 games.
2. He split last season between the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans.
The Bills traded Elam to the Cowboys ahead of the 2025 campaign, where he went on to appear in 10 games (with seven starts). Dallas later waived Elam in late November, leading to a four-game tenure with the Titans.
In total, Elam racked up 33 tackles, two passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and a tackle-for-loss in 14 games last year.
3. Elam has primarily lined up as a wide corner during his career.
The 6-foot-1, 191-pound Elam has largely taken the field as a wide corner during his career, doing so on 1,518 of his 1,675 career defensive snaps (91%). Looking at last season, specifically, Elam lined up out wide on 475 of his 536 defensive snaps (89%).
Simply put, Elam has extensive experience as an outside corner during his four-year career.
4. He played his college ball at the University of Florida.
Elam appeared in 35 games (with 27 starts) during his three years with the Gators, tallying 79 tackles, 26 passes defensed, six interceptions and 2.5 tackles-for-loss.
He was a First-Team All-SEC selection in 2020 after leading Florida in passes defensed (13) and picks (2), establishing himself as one of the top corners in the nation. Elam then battled a knee injury during his final season in school, but despite missing three games, he still logged six passes defensed and an interception in 10 games.
5. Elam has some impressive NFL bloodlines.
Elam is the son of Abe Elam, who played eight seasons in the NFL from 2005-12 after entering the league as an undrafted free agent. His uncle, Matt Elam, also logged a significant career in the NFL after hearing his name called in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, ultimately playing four seasons for the Baltimore Ravens from 2013-16.
Kaiir represents a continuation of that impressive familial legacy, and now a member of the Chiefs, Elam will have an opportunity to make his mark in Kanas City.
