The Baltimore Ravens are no strangers to front-office wizardry, it's kind of general manager Eric DeCosta's thing. But their 2022 trade with the Buffalo Bills might be one of the best examples in recent memory.
After dealing receiver Marquise Brown and a third-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for the 23rd selection, the Ravens wasted no time flipping the pick. While the Bills were busy trading up to grab Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam at No. 23, Baltimore slid back to No. 25 and walked away with Tyler Linderbaum—a move that has aged like fine wine.
Fast forward three years, and Elam is now being labeled as a player in desperate need of a fresh start. ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg recently highlighted him in the network’s “32 NFL players who need a change of scenery” piece, noting that Elam might be on his way out:
"It just hasn't worked out for Elam with the Bills. The 2022 first-round pick has largely served as a backup in his three seasons with the team. Though the Bills could be searching for a new starter at outside cornerback with Rasul Douglas set to hit free agency, Elam hasn't shown enough on field to be in early contention for that role. It's a sign that it may be time to move on."
Meanwhile, Linderbaum has been nothing short of elite since landing in Baltimore. A two-time Pro Bowler and the anchor of the Ravens' interior offensive line, he’s the kind of foundational piece teams dream of drafting. Who's willing to bet the Bills wish they could run that trade back?
The Ravens finessed Buffalo in 2022 Draft trade
Elam had all the physical traits to be a lockdown corner in Buffalo. He ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, stood 6-foot-2, and had the family ties—his father played in the NFL, and his uncle, Matt Elam, was once a Ravens first-round pick.
Despite the Bills' high hopes, he never developed into a reliable starter.
His rookie year was plagued by inconsistency, and in 2023, he tumbled further down the depth chart. In 2024, he barely saw the field. That’s not what you want from a first-round pick, let alone one you traded up to get.
Meanwhile, Linderbaum has been the best center Baltimore could have possibly hoped for. He was the first center off the board in 2022, and now, three seasons in, he’s a dominant force in both pass protection and the run game. He’s helped keep Lamar Jackson upright, paved the way for the most dominant rushing attack, and quickly established himself as one of the league’s premier centers, if not the best in the game.
Talk about highway robbery.
With Buffalo in a bit of a cap crunch and their secondary ever-shifting, Elam’s time there could be running out. It wouldn’t be shocking to see them release him outright or try to move him for whatever they can get—maybe a day-three pick.
It's hilarious to think that at the time, the Bills thought they were getting their next cornerstone defensive chess piece, but instead, they just blatantly wasted a first-round pick on a guy who's borderline unplayable. What a move for the Ravens, in hindsight.
Tough break, Buffalo.