Grading Chiefs’ Addition of Kaiir Elam

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kristian Fulton’s seat just got a lot hotter.

The veteran cornerback had a turbulent season in 2025 before finally cracking the starting lineup late in the year, with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson on injured reserve. Then, the Chiefs sent a message Thursday by signing former first-round pick Kaiir Elam.

And that’s one reason the Chiefs’ move gets a respectable grade. Competition brings out the best, and Kansas City appears to have a stiff competition at one of its cornerback spots.

Fulton and Elam are both outside corners; neither figures to play much in the slot. And with Jaylen Waddle now in the Chiefs’ division, cornerback is even more important to the Chiefs this season. Kansas City’s schedule also includes Ja’Marr Chase, Marvin Harrison, Alec Pierce, D.J. Moore, Garrett Wilson, Drake London, Davante Adams and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

adams, fulto — Sep 25, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) is tackled by Tennessee Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26) after a sweep during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Competition makes you better

So, credit the Chiefs’ forward-thinking in adding Elam. They might wind up needing him and Fulton, to help second-year starter Nohl Williams on the other side. Another free agent, Kader Kohou, figures to take the first reps in the slot as the Chiefs attempt to replace a key void left by McDuffie’s trade to the Rams.

Chris-Roland Wallace and Kevin Knowles are also in the mix. Plus, expect the Chiefs to draft at least one cornerback with their nine selections in the April 23-25 draft. Kansas City still is a far cry from where it was at the cornerback position a year ago.

mcduffi — Oct 27, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) looks to sack Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

To gauge how respected the team’s cornerbacks were in 2025, just look at the amount of money they got last month. The Rams not only gave Brett Veach a first-round pick in addition to three other selections for McDuffie; Los Angeles also made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history (four years, $124 million with $100 million guaranteed).

Then, the Rams made Watson the first NFL cornerback off the free-agent board, giving him $51 million over three years with $34 million guaranteed. So, the league tipped its collective cap to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and defensive backs coach Dave Merritt for developing that pair, including Watson after Kansas City took him in the seventh round.

And just as they were in 2022 when McDuffie and Watson entered the league, Spagnuolo and Merritt are back in a similar saddle.

While Elam’s newest contract terms haven’t surfaced, it’s safe to assume that the Chiefs gave him a lot less than he was expecting. He signed nearly a month into free agency and Kansas City waited for the market to reveal itself before reeling in Elam, the 23rd-overall pick in the 2022 draft.

The fourth cornerback taken in 2022, after Derek Stingley, Sauce Gardner and McDuffie, Elam’s career hasn’t followed a similar path.

ela — Bills Kaiir Elam celebrates his fumble recovery against Miami during second half action at Highmark Stadium on Nov. 3, 2024. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The grade: B

But for what the Chiefs likely spent on him, knowing the competition he’ll create makes Kansas City better, and considering the huge hole at the position, the signing gets a decent grade.