Elam Following in Dad's Footsteps with Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys saw a lot of change this offseason.

After hiring a completely new coaching staff, the Cowboys front office worked numerous free agency deals and four trades to sure up gaps in the roster following a disappointing 7-10 season.

One of those trades was to acquire cornerback Kaiir Elam, who the Buffalo Bills gave up in exchange for draft picks.

Elam joins a new team for the first time in his career, but the Cowboys, in a way, already feel like home.

Kaiir's father Abram Elam earned a roster spot with the Cowboys in 2006 after going undrafted. He didn't get much action as a rookie and bounced around the league for a few seasons before returning to Dallas in 2011.

Abram, a safety, started all 16 games in the secondary that season, as Kaiir - 10 years old at the time - watched his dad make an impact for "America's Team" with 68 tackles.

"Kind of just a surreal moment," Kaiir said once he heard he was joining his father's old team. "A full-circle moment."

Of course, Jerry Jones' family has been around since Abram played, but there is another familiar face in the building.

Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus rejoins the Cowboys this offseason after being on the staff from 2011-2017, where he coached Abram for a year. Eberflus also coached him during their time together with the Cleveland Browns prior to that.

Eberflus now has the opportunity to give Kaiir a tremendous opportunity to make an impact this season amidst the Cowboys' litany of injuries in the cornerback room. Entering his fourth season, Kaiir is still very young and could greatly benefit from more experience.

Kaiir struggled finding a solid role with Buffalo after being a first-round pick that didn't meet his expectations as a young player.

"Coming into Buffalo, I was a kid," Kaiir said. "I just wanted to improve and learn and really show off my talents, but I was always put in the backseat.

"I just need the opportunity, the full opportunity, to go take the ball away and show my physicality and be the playmaker that I know I am and that I once was in college."

Now with a fresh start, he is ready to prove his elite pre-draft pedigree with people he trusts.

"I feel like everything starts with an opportunity, so if I'm able to come in here and compete and show what I can do, that's all I really would want. I don't need a red carpet or anything like that. I just want to be able to earn it with a fair opportunity. That's what I'm going to strive every day to do.

"I'm confident because I'm coming into a staff that truly really believes in me. I don't think they would've made the move if they didn't want to see the best for me."

His father echoes that same sentiment as his son follows in his footsteps.

"He's got people [in Dallas] he can trust," Abram said.