Kaiir Elam is using early-season struggles in Buffalo as motivation to improve

Kaiir Elam is finding out that life can be tough in the NFL.

The first-round pick (23rd overall) of the Buffalo Bills has had to work his way on the field, coming in off the bench and earning additional game reps.

It wasn’t what the former Florida Gator expected, but he’s handling it well and using the experience to push himself to get better.

“I’m super hard on myself,” Elam said. “I know what I can do. I just really look myself in the mirror and self reflect and see what I could get better at.”

This hasn’t been the start Kaiir Elam envisioned for his NFL career, not starting and splitting time.

The #Bills 1st round pick explains how he needed to self-reflect in order to get better.

“I look at it more as motivation.” pic.twitter.com/GyUopo0y9q

— Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) September 23, 2022

Elam, a former All-SEC performer in 2020, is likely a big part of the Bills future. But he’s learning, like many rookies learn, that the NFL isn’t college football and at the professional level everyone is competing to get on the field regardless of draft position.

He will get another chance to impress his coaches this Sunday when the Bills travel to take on the undefeated Miami Dolphins.