Kaiir Elam shines at OTAs with fresh start in Dallas

the numbers don't lie.

Those are traits you can’t teach. And when you pair them with Elam’s renewed confidence — finally in a building that he thinks believes in his skill set — the arrow is pointing up.

It’s no secret things got rocky in Buffalo. Elam and former Bills DBs coach John Butler never saw eye to eye. That relationship grew strained, and with it, Elam’s development plateaued. Sometimes, a change of scenery isn’t just refreshing — it’s career-saving.

Dallas offers that clean slate — and something else: a defined opportunity.

If Elam continues putting up good days, he could slide into a starting outside cornerback role opposite rookie Shavon Revel Jr., who’s rehabbing to get ready for the season (or, for now, Andrew Booth.) That would allow DaRon Bland to shift back into his more natural nickel spot, where he’s been working heavily throughout OTAs.

In other words: Elam’s growth changes the whole secondary.

The talent never left. The confidence is coming back. And if this is the version Dallas gets going into camp? Then Elam Energy isn’t just real — it’s exactly what the Cowboys defense needed.

And the physicality he plays with is something fans are going to fall in love with.