The Dallas Cowboys head into the 2025 season with a new coaching staff, a healthy Dak Prescott, and high expectations, led by first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

Training camp for Schottenheimer and Co. begins on Monday, July 21, at Staybridge Suites in Oxnard, California. With several starting spots up for grabs, the Cowboys’ already-thin secondary has more questions than answers with a crowded room of injured stars, rookies, and young veterans who are looking for a fresh start.

With 2023 All-Pro corner, DaRon Bland the only fully healthy, set-in-stone starter heading into training camp, the Cowboys made some moves, hoping to cash in on the buy-low, age-old tale of ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.’

After falling out of favor with the Buffalo Bills, 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam was traded to the Cowboys earlier this season, with Jerry Jones shipping a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 seventh-round selection to Western New York.

Kaiir Elam May Be Forced into Early Starting Role

After starting just eight games in his three seasons in Buffalo, Elam had a chance to silence the doubters after an in-game injury to Bills starting corner Christian Benford in last season’s AFC Championship Game.

Unfortunately for Elam, his struggles continued, committing several penalties in addition to being beat on multiple occasions by Chiefs wideouts, causing the Bills to fall short of their Super Bowl aspirations yet again.

ESPN’s Todd Archer noted that Elam will have a chance to right the wrongs from his time in Buffalo, as Cowboys projected starters, Trevon Diggs and third-round rookie Shavon Revel, are returning from season-ending knee injuries, which may thrust Elam into a major role for Matt Eberflus’ defense.

“He flashed on numerous occasions in the OTAs and minicamp,” Archer said. “He had multiple interceptions and dropped two more. He also showed the ability to run with receivers. Maybe things change when the pads come on in training camp, but given the uncertainty the Cowboys have at cornerback with Trevon Diggs and third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. working back from knee surgeries, they need Elam to be a factor.”

Elam will look to fare better than another out-of-favor corner from the 2022 NFL Draft that the Cowboys took a chance on, as former Minnesota Vikings’ second-round pick, Andrew Booth Jr., was released just two months after signing with the club, last August.