Getty Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam at Highmark Stadium on August 13, 2022.
The undefeated Minnesota Vikings don’t appear to have much in the way of weaknesses on either side of the football, but they could do with another talented cornerback.
Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department suggested on Monday, September 30, that the Vikings pursue a trade with the Buffalo Bills for defensive back Kaiir Elam.
“Byron Murphy Jr. hasn’t been playing well this season, as he allowed 16 completions on 22 targets (72.7 percent) and a passer rating of 117.4 heading into this weekend, according to Pro Football Focus. Murphy is also in a contract year, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring in a young corner who can help right away and be a potential long-term solution,” B/R wrote. “The third-year pro [Elam] may not be the proven commodity the organization is hoping for, but that’s primarily because he’s been stuck behind Christian Benford. The 2022 first-round pick has plenty of talent to potentially be an immediate contributor, though.”
The Bills selected Elam with the No. 23 overall pick out of Florida and signed him to a four-year rookie deal worth $13.7 million.
Buffalo has a fifth-year team option on that contract, which it must decide whether to exercise by next offseason. Were the Bills to trade Elam, his new team would retain that right, which means the Vikings could keep the cornerback through 2026 before extending him on a multiyear deal.
Kaiir Elam Can Offer Vikings Potential Value in Trade
GettyBuffalo Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam.
Elam appeared in 13 games as a rookie, starting six of them and tallying 2 interceptions in his initial NFL campaign, though he hasn’t made another since.
However, he played in just three total games last season, in large part due to a foot injury that kept him on the injured reserve list (IR) for several contests.
Elam has appeared in all four games in 2024, though he has split his time equally between defensive and special teams responsibilities playing just 23 snaps for each unit, per Pro Football Reference.
Given what Elam’s fifth-year salary figure is likely to be (it hasn’t been factored yet, as his playing time and production this season will impact the number), the Bills probably aren’t going to pick up their option on his deal. That means Elam will likely be an unrestricted free agent following 2025.
As such, Buffalo might do well to trade him now for some draft capital — particularly considering how frequently the team actually uses him.
There is no chance that the 23-year-old Elam can bring back first-round value at the point. However, a late Day 2 or early Day 3 pick might be in the cards for the Bills if they can find an interested suitor ahead of the league’s November 5 trade deadline.
Vikings Last in Passing Yards Surrendered Through 4 Games
GettyCornerback Byron Murphy Jr. of the Minnesota Vikings.
From the Vikings’ side of the equation, they may be able to get a player qualified to step in and contribute right away — and potentially even a starting-caliber cornerback — by buying relatively low on Elam now.
Minnesota selected CB Khyree Jackson in the fourth round of this year’s draft, and then he died tragically in an automobile crash in early July. Cornerback Mekhi Blackmon, a third-round pick in 2023, tore his ACL and even more depth fell out of the Vikings secondary.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has been able to scheme around the deficiencies in the defensive backfield, helping Minnesota to a 4-0 record and earning head coaching buzz in the process.
That said, the Vikings enter the final two games of Week 4 as the worst passing defense in the NFL in terms of yards allowed, having surrendered 1,097 total.
