I know it has only been two days, but someone’s stock from the Dallas Cowboys defense is rising very quickly, and it is a guy that I thought might struggle, but this secondary is going to need him early in the season.
Former first-round pick Kaiir Elam, who the Cowboys traded from the Buffalo Bills, has been the clear winner from the first two days of training camp, and yes, it just started, but for a guy that most folks wrote off when the team traded for him, it is a good sign.
Motivation
A couple of months ago, the Cowboys declined the fifth-year option on Elam, so maybe that lit a spark under him.
Dallas would be on the hook for $12.7 million in 2026 if they did not decline, so I get it.
Elam totaled 81 tackles, six passes defensed and two interceptions with the Bills.
With Trevon Diggs recovering from his bone graft surgery on his left knee, Elam is going to have to play a big role early this season. Jourdan Lewis is no longer with the team as he signed with the Jags.
That leaves guys like DaRon Bland, Elam, Caelen Carson and Shavon Revel Jr. who the Cowboys drafted this March, but a projected first round pick is recovering from a torn ACL himself, so he won’t be ready for the start of the year.
Elam recorded an interception yesterday on Dak Prescott and continues to find the ball in the offseason on-field work. A lot still to be played out, but Elam has had a strong spring and summer with the Cowboys.
That will need to continue if the Cowboys want to survive the start of the year without Trevon Diggs.
Say what you want, but the secondary is a problem, and they are going to need Elam to just keep doing what he is doing so us fans can worry less about being shredded through the air to start the season.
Just from what I have seen the first two days, I have been paying close attention to all the reporters there tweeting videos, etc. Matt Eberflus has the defense flying around, and guys are buying into what he wants.
Again, it is early and no pads. You are going to see that, but they are taking the ball away. I have seen like five or six fumbles by punching the ball out.
They are going to need to be that type of defense if they want to stand a chance in the NFC.
