For cornerback Kaiir Elam of the Buffalo Bills, the 2024 NFL season will be crucial. Elam has told reporters at this year’s OTAs that he believes in himself more than ever after having two very frustrating and frequently disappointing seasons to start his professional career.
Elam feels as though there are new opportunities. John Butler coached the cornerbacks for six seasons; Jahmile Addae is the new coach. Addae, a fresh face at One Bills Drive, might offer Elam a much-needed shift in coaching approach. Addae joins Buffalo’s defensive coaching staff.
It’s unclear how much, if at all, Addae deviates from Butler in his teaching style. However, Addae is ready to add his own touch to the defensive secondary that Butler left empty.
Things ended abruptly for the Bills and Butler, with reports indicating that they had voluntarily chosen to part ways. That split came about as a consequence of a season in which McDermott declined to call defensive plays, instead to assign that responsibility to the seasoned Butler (who was also the passing game coordinator).
McDermott’s choice to promote Bobby Babich, who has less experience, as defensive coordinator likely worsened the situation. Babich, from a coaching family, took over from his father Bob Babich, who coached linebackers until his son’s promotion. McDermott may have been hesitant to lose a potential rising star like Babich in favor of a more established figure like Butler. It seemed that Butler decided to leave the Bills because he was once again overlooked for the coordinator position. In an interview with The Athletic, Butler expressed that he desires to lead a defense in the NFL or college football. At 51, he still has time left in his coaching career, but the recent trend of hiring young, lesser-known coordinators may have influenced his decision amid a feeling of time running out.
Butler tweeted several times shortly after leaving, praising the work the Bills’ defensive backs had done over his six seasons as head coach. Butler adopted a distinctly defensive stance, as though to suggest he wasn’t the issue.
