The Dallas Cowboys have an NFC East contest against the Philadelphia Eagles on the schedule in Week 12. This is a big-time game for both sides, which only gained more intrigue after the Cowboys made a surprising roster move on Saturday.
According to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys are waiving CB Kaiir Elam. This move comes after Dallas got more reinforcements for the secondary.
Cowboys Waived CB Kaiir Elam One Day Before Eagles Showdown
Back in March, Dallas acquired Elam from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a fifth and seventh-round pick. It was a dart throw they decided to take, and he ended up being part of the starting lineup for the Cowboys this season.
Elam appeared in 10 contests this season, starting in seven of them while logging 29 total tackles and one pass deflection. Despite getting out there, he wasn't productive. According to Pro Football Focus, he had a 59.6 overall grade (62nd among 108 graded cornerbacks) and a 60 coverage grade (58th among 108 graded cornerbacks).
Given the fact that he has a 112.6 passer rating allowed in 2025, while he gave up 24 receptions (39 targets) for 314 receiving yards and three touchdowns, Elam had given the Cowboys few reasons to retain him beyond this season. Despite that being the case, it is a bit surprising, yet understandable, why Dallas would cut ties with the defender altogether with a third of the season left to go.
Elam left a ton to be desired in coverage, and with the extra bodies Dallas is getting in the cornerback room, it made Elam disposable. The Cowboys recently got Caelen Carson and Shavon Revel Jr. back into the fold, and both guys are draft picks of Dallas.
That certainly made them more enticing in the eyes of the coaching staff, as they were getting thrown into the rotation. Carson has played in 40% or more of the snaps in the last two games and looked solid in those outings. Meanwhile, Revel finally made his NFL debut against the Raiders last week and played in 19 defensive snaps.
As the season progresses, the Cowboys want to see more of these young defenders, further opening the door for Elam's release. Diggs is also expected to return to the field sooner rather than later, as Watkins pointed out on X.
This combination of things led to the release of Elam and paints the picture of what the secondary will look like going forward. They have several players they liked more than Elam, and this move solidifies that. It was the low-cost move that didn't work out for either side, and his release officially closes the book on this story.