Chargers Give Former First-Round Pick Kaiir Elam Another Chance to Prove Himself

The Los Angeles Chargers are giving former first-round pick Kaiir Elam another opportunity to prove he still belongs on an NFL roster.

The Bolts signed the 25-year-old to the practice squad this week, adding another intriguing piece to a young cornerback room as the team prepares for the regular season.

Elam isn't joining the Chargers with the expectations that came with being selected 23rd overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2022 NFL Draft. Instead, he's arriving with something to prove, with a chip on his shoulder.

That could make this one of the more interesting practice-squad additions for Los Angeles.

Elam entered the league with plenty of talent and expectations after an impressive college career at Florida. He showed flashes early in his career, but he simply never developed the way Buffalo envisioned.

After stop with the Bills, Cowboys and Titans, Elam signed with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason before ultimately landing with Los Angeles' practice squad.

Now, he gets a fresh start with the Chargers.

The immediate expectation should not be for Elam to suddenly become a major contributor. He's beginning the season on the practice squad, meaning he'll have to earn his opportunities and prove to the coaching staff that he deserves a bigger role.

But that's exactly what makes this signing so interesting.

The Chargers don't have to force Elam into the fold immediately. They can take their time, letting him learn the Chris O'Leary's system while proving he is capable of providing what the team is looking for at the position.

If he shows enough, the path to the active roster is there.

Injuries are inevitable over a long 17-game season, and Los Angeles could eventually need insurance at cornerback. Elam has already played in meaningful games, giving him an advantage over a developmental prospect who has never experienced the ups and downs of this league.

He also has something few players on the practice squad can claim: first-round pedigree.

Obviously, that doesn't guarantee anything, but it does suggest there was once a reason teams believed he could become a quality starting cornerback.

The Chargers are betting they might be able to help him rediscover that mojo.

And Elam doesn't need to prove everything at once. He simply needs to make the most of every practice, learn the defense, show consistency and take advantage when an opportunity eventually comes his way.

If he does, what begins as a practice-squad signing could turn into something much bigger.