The Buffalo Bills’ first-round pick, cornerback Kaiir Elam, has been thrown into the starting lineup from the beginning of his first NFL training camp. With the injury to Tre’Davious White, who started camp on the PUP list, Elam is the top cornerback opposite Dane Jackson. As the top CB, he’s been lined up opposite All-Pro Stefon Diggs and the two are giving head coach Sean McDermott all the “iron sharpens iron” the team can handle.
On Wednesday during the first rep of practice, Elam got a little too handsy with Diggs, and the veteran didn’t like it.
“First rep of one-on-ones. Looked like Elam held Diggs,” tweeted Sal Capaccio of WGR 550. “Stefon did not like it at all. They were holding each other close and definitely having an animated conversation. One of the other DBs made sure it didn’t go any further.”
Capaccio followed it up with information from Tuesday’s closed practice, saying that the pair barked at each other a bit yesterday, as well.
“Stefon stared him down and had a few words on his way back to the huddle after a contested play,” said Cappacio of the play on Tuesday.
Cappacio’s colleague at WGR, Jeremy White, said that the battle between the two is “appointment camp viewing.”
When he came to Buffalo, players on the Bills said Diggs elevated the practices with his competitiveness. Perhaps the rookie trying to earn his stripes has brought out even more fire in the veteran. Either way, it’s good news for both sides of the ball.
On a related note, Capaccio has been tweeting about all the Bills’ defensive backs and the competitiveness up and down the roster:
“One thing that has really stood out to me over the first three days of #BillsMafia training camp: the defensive backs are very aggressive and getting to a lot of footballs. Not just talking about the usual suspects, but up and down the roster. They aren’t giving an inch.”
Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic has been talking up some of the depth cornerbacks, as well. At a time of year when the offense is usually outpacing the defense, the defensive backs are turning up the heat on the Bills’ receivers.
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