Buffalo Bills Ex Levi Wallace Stirring Pot Amid Trade Rumors
The Buffalo Bills drafted cornerback Kaiir Elam in the first round to replace corner Levi Wallace. Less than two years later, it’s clear they made a wrong turn.
Elam can’t find the field on game days, now supplanted by 35-year-old corner Josh Norman for his ability to contribute on special teams. The writing has been on the wall for weeks, but Elam’s time on Buffalo’s roster is dwindling.
With Tuesday’s 4 p.m. trade deadline looming, can general manager Brandon Beane make things right with Bills Mafia? Some news out of Western Pennsylvania has made that all the more possible.
Wallace celebrates a turnover as a member of the Buffalo Bills.
The Pittsburgh Steelers recently announced that rookie corner Joey Porter Jr. has taken the starting job from the aforementioned Wallace. Suddenly, he’s expendable. Fans of both teams have taken notice, and the corner stoked the flames with an Instagram story – complete with just a single emoji.
Wallace, seemingly by default, is a better scheme fit than Elam for head coach Sean McDermott’s defense. He’s seen success in the Bills secondary before, and after a season-ending injury to star corner Tre’Davious White, Buffalo is in the market.
A late-round pick and a chance to let Elam develop under Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson’s tutelage could be enough to get a deal done in the waning hours before the deadline. Wallace, an unrestricted free agent after the season, doesn’t present any contractual obstacles for either side.
The Pittsburgh corner has logged two interceptions and seven passes defended in the first half of the season. Elam’s production has come solely in the form of tackles so far. A fresh start could let his first-round talent shine through.
It would appease the fans and give two players a better spot to showcase their talents, all for a cost few teams would hesitate to spend. Frankly, the social media hype this proposal has garnered on Tuesday makes a lot of sense.
