Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs had clear gaps to address in the secondary after moving on from cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams and then losing Jaylen Watson to the same team in free agency. This week, they’ve taken a step toward fixing that ahead of the 2026 season.

According to Jordan Schultz, the Chiefs are signing former first-round cornerback Kaiir Elam, the son of Abram Elam and nephew of Matt Elam.

Elam was a free agent after his stints with the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, and Tennessee Titans. A former first-round pick by the Bills in the 2022 NFL draft, he spent three seasons while appearing in 29 games and starting 12 in Buffalo. In that stretch, the cornerback recorded 2 picks, six pass breakups, 81 tackles, and three tackles for loss.

Heading into the 2025 offseason, however, the Bills traded him to the Cowboys. Dallas received Elam and a six-round pick. Buffalo, meanwhile, got a fifth and a future seventh. Upon arriving in Dallas, the Cowboys declined his fifth-year option, which would make him a free agent after the 2025 season.

His stint with the Cowboys, though, didn’t last long. Just 10 games, where he had one pass defended and 29 tackles, and the Cowboys moved on from him. From there, the Titans acquired him, where he finished the 2025 season, adding one pass breakup and 4 tackles.

Now, he lands in Kansas City with a clear opportunity. The Chiefs’ pass defense in 2025 held up in some areas. They allowed 3,487 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and a passer rating of 89.9. But there were some downsides as well.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is known for using a blitz-heavy system. As a result, the opposing receivers averaged 3.7 yards of separation per target. And while there were some positives, like the Chiefs missing just 75 tackles (the second-best in the 2025 season), they managed to record just 14 takeaways throughout the season.

Add the fact that McDuffie and Watson are no longer with the Chiefs, and the addition of Elam now carries extra weight in the Chiefs’ secondary. Now, the 24-year-old corner is expected to bolster the Chiefs’ secondary, something that he struggled with the Cowboys last season.

Why did the Cowboys waive Kaiir Elam?

Following a three-year stint with the Bills, Kaiir Elam landed with the Cowboys via trade. Once the move became official, the 24-year-old sounded genuinely excited about the opportunity. Speaking to Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com, he said:

“It’s a blessing, man. I was so excited to find out I was coming here. I’m just ready to get back down South and ready to prove myself right, help the team win and buy into the culture the new coaches have here.”

He further added, “I have a chip on my shoulder. I’m hungry. I’m ready to compete and win, no matter what aspect of the position it is. On the athletic side of the ball, I’ve always been a great athlete, but I feel like I’ve strengthened my mental and sharpened my game when it comes to the nuances of the things I didn’t know as a younger player. Yeah, I’m excited.”

The Cowboys’ decision to add Elam at that time wasn’t hard to understand. They had hired Matt Eberflus as the DC, who preferred longer and taller cornerbacks. At 6’1”, Elam fit right into that category. On top of that, the Cowboys also addressed the future uncertainty of Trevon Diggs, who was dealing with a knee issue that he suffered during the 2024 season.

But Elam’s stint with the Cowboys didn’t turn out very well due to his declining role. On paper, he suited up for 10 games, sure. But his role started declining during the season, including Week 11, when he didn’t receive a single defensive snap against the Las Vegas Raiders.

That led the Cowboys to move on from Elam and promote running back Malik Davis from the practice squad. Fast forward to now, and Kaiir Elam is looking forward to playing with his fourth team in his NFL career. It would be worth noting whether he manages to materialize the opportunity heading into his fifth NFL season.