Chiefs Sign Former Bills 1st-Round Pick as Free Agent From Cowboys

Kaiir Elam joins Kansas City in search of career revival after struggles in Buffalo and Dallas.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 3:06pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed cornerback Kaiir Elam, a former first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills, as a free agent. Elam was drafted 23rd overall by the Bills in 2022 but failed to establish himself as a starter, leading to trades to the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans. The Chiefs are hoping to help Elam reach his potential and bolster their secondary.

Why it matters

The Chiefs have been active in rebuilding their cornerback group this offseason, and the addition of Elam provides them with a former high draft pick who is still young and has potential to develop. If Elam can regain his form, it could be a low-risk, high-reward signing that helps the Chiefs return to contention in the AFC.

The details

Elam was originally drafted in the first round by the Buffalo Bills in 2022 out of the University of Florida. However, he struggled to earn a consistent starting role with the Bills, and was eventually traded to the Dallas Cowboys in 2025. Elam played 10 games with the Cowboys, including 7 starts, before finishing the 2025 season with the Tennessee Titans for 4 games. The 6-foot-1 cornerback will turn 25 years old in May, giving the Chiefs hope that he can still develop into the player he was projected to be coming out of college.

  • Elam was drafted 23rd overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft.
  • In 2025, the Bills traded Elam to the Dallas Cowboys.
  • Elam played 10 games, including 7 starts, for the Cowboys in 2025.
  • Elam concluded the 2025 season with the Tennessee Titans for 4 games.

The players

Kaiir Elam

A 25-year-old cornerback who was a first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2022 but has struggled to establish himself as a consistent starter in the NFL.

Buffalo Bills

The NFL team that drafted Elam in the first round in 2022 but later traded him to the Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys

The NFL team that acquired Elam in a trade with the Buffalo Bills and had him on their roster for part of the 2025 season.

Tennessee Titans

The NFL team that Elam finished the 2025 season with after playing 4 games for them.

Kansas City Chiefs

The NFL team that has signed Elam as a free agent, hoping to help him revive his career.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The Chiefs will look to integrate Elam into their secondary and see if he can regain the form that made him a first-round pick in 2022.

The takeaway

This signing represents a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for the Chiefs to add a talented young cornerback who has struggled to find his footing in the NFL so far. If Elam can rediscover his potential under the Chiefs' coaching staff, it could pay major dividends for a Kansas City team looking to bounce back in 2026.