Abram Elam in new special teams role

December, 1, 2011
12/01/11
10:31
AM CT
IRVING, Texas -- Since we’re in the special teams frame of mind considering our Five-Star question about Patrick Peterson, I’ll continue the theme here.

Abram Elam made the NFL because of his special teams ability and has developed into a starting safety. Two games ago, special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis put Elam in as Mat McBriar’s personal protector on punts.

“That was my first time ever doing it,” Elam said. “I’m going to commend coach DeCamillis for getting me prepared for it. I’ve been paying attention in meetings and the veteran group we have on punt team makes it that much easier.”

Elam is responsible for setting the blocking scheme if the opponent overloads one side or the other.

“It’s a challenge because a punt can change the whole effect of a game,” Elam said. “We saw that against New York earlier in the season. We’ve got to be on the same page and you can’t give up any miscues in that part of the game.”
Todd Archer joined ESPNDallas.com in November 2010. He's covered the NFL since 1997 and the Cowboys since 2003. He covered the Bengals and Dolphins before arriving in Dallas. A Massachusetts native, Archer lives in the Dallas area with his wife and two children.

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