Buffalo Bills: Early look at key position battles during 2023 offseason

Cornerback

Kaiir Elam vs. Dane Jackson vs. Christian Benford

The Buffalo Bills drafted Kaiir Elam in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft and the hope was that he would step in as the starter almost immediately. It took him some time as a rookie and he would split snaps with Dane Jackson, as well as fellow rookie Christian Benford.

Now entering the second year in the NFL, the hope would be that Elam could secure the full-time spot opposite Tre’Davious White. However, it isn’t necessarily a foregone conclusion and Sean McDermott has shown that just because a player is a high draft pick, it doesn’t guarantee they will be a starter.

The other two players that Elam likely will compete with for the starting job are the two he split time with last season. Dane Jackson returned to Buffalo this offseason on a one-year deal and has started 20 regular season games over the past two years.

The third player is Christian Benford, who has some questions about where he might actually line up this season. The Buffalo Bills have brought up the idea of Benford potentially moving to safety but that is dependent on what the roster looks like during the offseason. With the addition of Taylor Rapp and the hopeful return of Damar Hamlin, it would seem cornerback is the more likely position for Benford this season.