Kaiir Elam’s rookie season with the Bills was unlike any he’s had before on the gridiron.

“My whole life, I never struggled in football, ever, so it was my first time ever,” Elam said. “God slowed me down and allowed me to really face adversity. Face negativity. Face a little injury, nick and bruise. I swear to God, from eighth grade on I’ve been successful in football. I always had accolades and was always one of the best on my team, if not the best.”

Elam played 13 games in the regular season, starting in six of them. He added two more in the playoffs with one start. But only three times did he play the entire game, mostly rotating and seeing around half the snaps.

Then there was week 13 at the Patriots where Elam was a healthy scratch.

Part of the reason for Elam’s struggles was his transition from playing press man in college at Florida to a more zone-heavy scheme played by the Bills.

“It’s been done, so I would never use that as an excuse,” Elam said. “I have to figure it out, how to make plays and all that. That’s what I’m striving every day to do. It was an adjustment, for sure, at first. No doubt, it was an adjustment. I stayed up nights trying to figure how to make plays playing zone. But I put it on film that I could. Especially coming into this offseason, I made a lot of plays on the ball. I know that for a fact. I’m confident in that. I’m just trying to stay consistent with it now. I got so many more reps that I feel like I could get better at, but going into training camp, I feel like I made a lot of plays. I became a more physical tackler. I feel like everything the G.M. and the head coach wanted to see from me or threw at me in training camp, I really feel like I stepped up and made a play. Or I stepped up and grew and made a play from it.”

Elam finds himself in nearly the same scenario he did this time a year ago – competing with Dane Jackson and Christian Benford for playing time. While last year the three were battling for two starting spots, the return of a healthy Tre’Davious White has narrowed things down to one job available.

Even though the names and prize are just about the same, Elam’s mindset is different this time around.

“I’m in a way better head space from last year,” Elam said. “Last year, I’m coming in with all these high expectations. Not only from the media and the outsiders, but myself as well. If I saw somebody make a play, I wanted to make two, three of them. And if the results didn’t come, then I already added more pressure to myself. If I F-ed up, I felt like I’m letting people down. I’m letting the G.M., the head coach, I’m letting myself down, I’m letting my family down. But as I learned, everybody has a different story. I feel like my confidence comes from within, not from my results. It should come from within, not results. I go out there every day enthusiastic to be out there at practice. Not worried about everybody else, what everybody else is saying. I took a step back from social media so I could focus on ball and have a clear head and good mind because my confidence should come from within, not the validation from others.”

That change in approach has not always brought a change in results, with Elam providing his own honest assessment of his play over the last month.

“First 3-4 weeks of training camp I was very consistent,” Elam said. “Making a lot of plays on the ball. I feel like that first preseason, I got that holding call that I was in great position. I don’t think I should have even touched the receiver. This last preseason game I feel like situational ball, that 3rd and 9 or that touchdown in the end zone, I just feel like those are reps that I knew better then to do. But other than that, I feel like I’m having a great training camp, to be honest with you. And I feel like I’ve made a major jump from last year. My confidence. My play on the field. My mentality going into it. My mindset. I’m able to handle coaching. I’m able to handle everything now.” .

Those inconsistent results have led to playing time with different units. It’s been a true test of that newfound positive mindset.

“Every day my reps [vary],” Elam said. “I go with the 1’s. I go with the 2’s. Now I’m starting to go off with the 3’s. It’s just like F it. I got to go out there and prove myself every single rep. Don’t matter where I’m in, everybody got to feel the same pain or same confidence I would give to Tyreek Hill or Justin Jefferson… I have to have that same mentality. I’m taking a step back and really focusing on me. That’s it. That’s the only person who matters first.”

Elam adds he feels no pressure going into the Bills third and final preseason game, leaning on his faith to continue to guide him as it has since last season.

All in hopes of taking more steps forward and away from a place he’d never been before.

Struggles on a football field.