Who Should I Start? Kaiir Elam or Ahmad Gardner

Thursday, July 3, 12:08 PM

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Kaiir Elam started only 12 games in three seasons with the Buffalo Bills with two interceptions before the Cowboys acquired him in a trade, but he flashed on numerous occasions in OTAs and minicamp, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. Elam had multiple interceptions in offseason practices and dropped two more while showing an ability to run with receivers. Archer goes on to write that the Cowboys need Elam to be a factor in 2025 with all the uncertainty surrounding cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee) and third-round rookie Shavon Revel Jr. (knee), who are both working their way back from knee surgeries. The Cowboys didn't exercise Elam's fifth-year option after the Bills took him 23rd overall in the 2022 NFL draft out of Florida, so perhaps he's extra motivated going into his first year in Dallas. That's what the Cowboys are banking on.

Sunday, March 2, 9:20 PM

New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner is expected to reset the cornerback market as the highest-paid player because the two-time All-Pro is arguably the league's best shutdown cornerback, sources told SNY's Connor Hughes. The Jets will also likely consider an extension for wide receiver Garrett Wilson soon, but sources agreed that Gardner's new deal is far simpler. Additionally, Hughes got the sense at this year's NFL Combine in Indianapolis that the new Jets regime of general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn are much more open to the idea of extending players after three years than former GM Joe Douglas was. Sources think that any extensions that Mougey and Glenn reward players with will be fair and to market value, assuming the organization has the financial means to pull it off. Gardner, the former fourth overall pick, had a career-low 49 tackles (36 solo), one sack and an interception in 15 starts in 2024.