we really had no choice, we had to franchise one or the other. LEvitre always did say he was going to test the FA market, we chose to frachise Byrd instead. :Levitre wanted to leave, that simple. He could have signed a long term deal the prior summer IIRC, and preferred to play and risk injury, through the last year of his contract, to get to FA.
He did play, and never missed a game for the Bills I don't think.
I do not think the FO did anything wroing in the case of Levitre, he was willing to risk the last year of his contract to get free, and then he was free.
In the case of Byrd I actually also like the FO stance. If Byrd would man up and suit up (like Levitre did), it would be better, of course.