Who Should I Start? Kaiir Elam or Daxton Hill

Friday, May 2, 12:18 AM

The Dallas Cowboys chose not to pick up the fifth-year option for the 2026 season of cornerback Kaiir Elam, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The Cowboys acquired Elam in a trade with the Buffalo Bills this offseason, but now he will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 campaign. The Bills drafted the 23-year-old defensive back with the 23rd overall pick in 2022 out of the University of Florida. If Dallas had picked up his fifth-year option, they would have had to pay Elam around $12.7 million in 2026. Elam played in only three games in his second season in Buffalo in 2023 and hasn't played more than 13 games in any of his first year years in the NFL while struggling to secure a starting role. He has just 81 tackles (56 solo), two interceptions, six pass breakups and a fumble recovery in his 29 games (12 starts). Elam will be competing for a spot on Dallas' 53-man roster this summer.

Tuesday, April 29, 3:00 PM

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Cincinnati Bengals are picking up the fifth-year option on defensive back Dax Hill. This locks Hill into a projected $12.7 million salary for 2026. The former first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Michigan has played in 37 games (24 starts) for the Bengals, compiling 151 tackles (103 solo), two interceptions, 13 pass deflections, 2.5 sacks, and seven tackles for loss. Despite Hill suffering a torn ACL in Week 5 of the 2024 campaign, the organization is clearly optimistic about his recovery and potential in the future.