Byrd Skipping mandatory mini-camp

[PromoTheRobot]

My understanding of Parker's position is that Byrd was "under paid" during his rookie contract and he wants enough money now to compensate Byrd for being "under paid" for those years too in addition to getting top dog dollars for his next years.

I'm sure Parker offered the Eagles a rebate for the seasons they overpaid Jason Peters while he was injured.

 

PTR

[eball]

My understanding of Parker's position is that Byrd was "under paid" during his rookie contract and he wants enough money now to compensate Byrd for being "under paid" for those years too in addition to getting top dog dollars for his next years.

 

I don't think that is accurate, nor would any GM worth his salt accept such a suggestion. All GMs, players, and agents understand that the first contract is based upon where the player was drafted, with very little leeway. Byrd has earned the right to seek a higher salary with his play, but he is not seeking to be "paid back" for outperforming his rookie contract. Parker is using his "15-20%" numbers in support of how well Byrd has played.

[K-9]

My opinion is that the Revis and Byrd situations are starkly different. Revis is the game's best corner (when he's not facing Stevie that is), and was a key piece of a defense that got the Jets to the AFC Championship game twice. Byrd is a top 5-10 FS and a cog in the wheel that doesn't have the same level of impact; you'll never see Byrd taking the oppositions #1 receiving threat out of the game.

 

As for Pettine, I don't think he can afford to care. To do his job, he simply has to make due with the talent he's given. Would he prefer to have Byrd? I'm sure. Is it keeping him awake at night? I doubt it. ...

 

I'm intrigued by Pettine's opinion as well. I'd love to know what he's thinking. Common sense would say he'd rather have Byrd than not. But what's not lost on me is that Aaron Williams is a superior athlete in terms of speed and agility whom many scouts rated as a better FS prospect coming out of Texas. Something tells me that Pettine just might like the challenge of finding out.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[eball]

For whatever reason I find myself thinking a lot about this topic this morning. New prediction -- Byrd signs his tender before the start of the season and rejoins the team, yet is outplayed by Williams and his value plummets.

 

This is fun!

[bbb]

It doesn't strike me as wise to compare a doormat like the Bills with the second greatest franchise in MLB history ...

 

Which obviously I was not doing and you are really stretching on that one.............I'm talking about there being more important things than just making sure that not one dollar is left on the table...........I'm talking about Eugene Parker and not about Byrd or the Bills............You're quoting me from a response by somebody to my original statement.

[NoSaint]

My understanding of Parker's position is that Byrd was "under paid" during his rookie contract and he wants enough money now to compensate Byrd for being "under paid" for those years too in addition to getting top dog dollars for his next years.

 

i dont think thats ever been said, simply that he has been a good soldier and played despite that gap. he very easily couldve held out last year but he honored his contract and is now using that as reasoning behind why he shouldnt give the bills a discount- essentially he has for 4 years, when do the bills get held accountable to pay him market value?

 

though i could be reading the comments wrong.

[K-9]

For whatever reason I find myself thinking a lot about this topic this morning. New prediction -- Byrd signs his tender before the start of the season and rejoins the team, yet is outplayed by Williams and his value plummets.

 

This is fun!

 

That would be a nightmare for him, wouldn't it? If the revamped front seven can get the type of pressure Pettine desires, it's quite possible for Williams to reap the benefits and enjoy a nice statistical year. And we all know it's all about the stats.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Dorkington]

For whatever reason I find myself thinking a lot about this topic this morning. New prediction -- Byrd signs his tender before the start of the season and rejoins the team, yet is outplayed by Williams and his value plummets.

 

This is fun!

 

I'm really hoping that Williams shines in the role, either way. That way, in case Byrd does leave, we have a guy who can still play back there. And if Byrd doesn't leave, we have really good depth at the position!

[bbb]

Hearing some of John Murphy last night, I am now very discouraged about Byrd. As much as I like him and the show, it's definitely state run radio..............It's like all of a sudden Chris Brown is talking about EJ Manuel the day of the draft, after I really hadn't heard that much about him as far as the Bills go.

 

Murph was saying things that didn't make sense to me. He said he is one of the top safeties in the league, but do you really want to pay top 3-4 safety money - when you might need it later for a left tackle, or a blitzing linebacker, or even a quarterback...............How does that make any sense. The rate for safety is lower, and if you have a top one, then pay him as such. You aren't paying him top left tackle, etc. money. You are paying top safety money because he is a top safety.

 

Sounds like Murph is getting us ready for Byrd not to be a Bill.

[Nanker]

 

I'm sure Parker offered the Eagles a rebate for the seasons they overpaid Jason Peters while he was injured.

 

PTR

Now that's funny!

[DanInUticaTampa]

I was optimistic at first, but this week I am a little discouraged, because I thought it would have been taken care of by now. The two worst case scenarios are that he plays for us one year under franchise tag or we trade him for like a 2nd or 3rd rounder.

 

I don't see him holding out all season and not get paid. It would look bad when he does hit the market next year. i would like him to sign long term. But it might be hard, because we seem to have some solid prospects at the position, and with a good defensive coach, the whole defense should be much more improved.

[uncle flap]

Looks like Chris Brown reads the wall!

 

I post the following this morning;

 

Thought this might be worth revisiting, via Chris Brown:

 

Quote

 

Here are two very interesting answers that Byrd gave me in a one-on-one interview with Buffalobills.com last December.

I asked him knowing that his father played for one NFL club his entire career, would it influence him in wanting to re-sign with the Bills (keep in mind this was before he was designated as the franchise player).

“No,” said Byrd. ”I mean he really didn’t have a chance back then. When he talked that was kind of pre-free agency and it got started right toward the end of his career so it wasn’t really something that was big back then. The game has changed a lot.”

I then asked him besides money what would play into his free agent decision making when assessing a situation.

“You’ve just got to look at where the team is headed, what’s going on with the situation,” he said. ”You’ve got to take in a lot of things. That’s something that when the time comes I have to do.”

 

Full interview here: http://www.buffalobi...7f-a9925003891c

 

I'm beginning to think Byrd probably wants to be on a legitimate contender, or at least is posturing as such in an effort to make the Bills overpay. I don't think simply making him the highest paid safety is overpaying in and of itself; the question is: By how much does he want to be the highest paid safety?

 

The "source" that says no talks are to be expected is obviously from Parker's camp, or Parker himself. This was reported by Tim Graham, who wrote a ballwashing piece on Parker in the Sunday paper a few weeks ago. This says to me that Parker is the one unwilling to negotiate. Especially when the Bills have time and time again kept a tight lid on their contract negotiations. Do I take everything that comes out of the FO at face value? Of course not, but Bills don't have anything to gain by leaking or acknowledging that negotiations are at a standstill.

 

I'm not criticizing Parker for his tactics, but for the "just pay the man" crowd, it's worth noting that an agent "publicly" refusing to negotiate is an obvious ploy to smear the FO and generate fan hostility.

 

The optimist in me sees an eleventh hour deal being struck in a front loaded contract with a lot of guaranteed money. A win-win, in my book. Both Overdorf and Parker, two hardballers, can save face by creating the appearance that a last minute deal means the other side caved.

 

The pessimist in me sees Byrd simply not wanting to stay with the Bills for any amount of money, and the real negotiations are getting the Bills adequately compensated for Byrd's departure.

 

and he posts this: http://blogs.buffalo...e-a-free-agent/ a few hours later.

 

Or maaaaaybe I just have a nose for news, or maaaaybe I've got a serious gauge on the pulse of the fanbase, or maaaaaaaaaaybe I'm the frightened lemur.

 

Mwuahahahaha!

 

In any case, I think it can be construed as damage control. The article/interview highlights the idea of Byrd simply not wanting to be here, and that it's not the FO's fault if they can't get Parker to negotiate.

 

Or put another way: Parker "leaks" that the Bills aren't willing to negotiate, to make the fans think "Ralph/Russ/Overdorf is cheap."

 

Meanwhile the Bills "leak" that Byrd doesn't even want to be here, so why should they pay him a buttload of $.

 

Each side is trying to paint the other as the bad guy.

[Nanker]

Of course he/(you) read(s) The Wall. What else is there to do with training camp still two weeks away?

 

[K-9]

Hearing some of John Murphy last night, I am now very discouraged about Byrd. As much as I like him and the show, it's definitely state run radio..............It's like all of a sudden Chris Brown is talking about EJ Manuel the day of the draft, after I really hadn't heard that much about him as far as the Bills go.

 

Murph was saying things that didn't make sense to me. He said he is one of the top safeties in the league, but do you really want to pay top 3-4 safety money - when you might need it later for a left tackle, or a blitzing linebacker, or even a quarterback...............How does that make any sense. The rate for safety is lower, and if you have a top one, then pay him as such. You aren't paying him top left tackle, etc. money. You are paying top safety money because he is a top safety.

 

Sounds like Murph is getting us ready for Byrd not to be a Bill.

 

You raise some interesting points but here's a point that some may find intolerable around here: the perceived difference between GREAT free safety play and ADEQUATE free safety play is not nearly as great or as perceptible as the difference between great/adequate QB, DE, LT, or other positional play. It's most noticeable when the sheer athleticism of the free safeties is so readily apparent; the Reed's, Palomalus, etc. And you can count the number of similarly gifted safeties in history on one hand.

 

That's not to say that you don't prefer an ALL Pro at the position or ANY position for that matter. Obviously you do. But it's far easier to compensate for a lack of talent at free safety than just about anywhere else on the field.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[eball]

You raise some interesting points but here's a point that some may find intolerable around here: the perceived difference between GREAT free safety play and ADEQUATE free safety play is not nearly as great or as perceptible as the difference between great/adequate QB, DE, LT, or other positional play. It's most noticeable when the sheer athleticism of the free safeties is so readily apparent; the Reed's, Palomalus, etc. And you can count the number of similarly gifted safeties in history on one hand.

 

That's not to say that you don't prefer an ALL Pro at the position or ANY position for that matter. Obviously you do. But it's far easier to compensate for a lack of talent at free safety than just about anywhere else on the field.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Exhibit A: Your 1990-1993 Buffalo Bills

[NoSaint]

 

 

You raise some interesting points but here's a point that some may find intolerable around here: the perceived difference between GREAT free safety play and ADEQUATE free safety play is not nearly as great or as perceptible as the difference between great/adequate QB, DE, LT, or other positional play. It's most noticeable when the sheer athleticism of the free safeties is so readily apparent; the Reed's, Palomalus, etc. And you can count the number of similarly gifted safeties in history on one hand.

 

That's not to say that you don't prefer an ALL Pro at the position or ANY position for that matter. Obviously you do. But it's far easier to compensate for a lack of talent at free safety than just about anywhere else on the field.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

hence the gap in pay.... or great free safeties would be getting 15+ per year.

 

the gap in pay between great and "meh" free safety play reflects exactly what you are arguing.

[K-9]

hence the gap in pay.... or great free safeties would be getting 15+ per year.

 

the gap in pay between great and "meh" free safety play reflects exactly what you are arguing.

 

I hear ya but just to be clear, I don't confuse the issue of pay with greatness. Much of it is sheer timing. Byrd picked a great year to be an All Pro free safety. But if I felt Byrd were greater than he is, I'd see more difficulty in replacing him in the lineup.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[NoSaint]

 

 

I hear ya but just to be clear, I don't confuse the issue of pay with greatness. Much of it is sheer timing. Byrd picked a great year to be an All Pro free safety. But if I felt Byrd were greater than he is, I'd see more difficulty in replacing him in the lineup.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

understood, just pointing out that a lot of the gap between safety and qb is accounted for based on us talking 7-8m as opposed to 20+

 

the structures reflect what you are pointing out, but where he fits in that safety structure and if we will be valuing them in the same way many around the league do is a different debate.

 

any year is a good year to be an all pro free agent. just about any position any year an all pro would be atleast looking in the ballpark of highest paid of all time, simply by the nature of escalating salaries - doesnt mean the players are commonly among the greatest ever.

 

truly though, as ive noted a few times i dont think we are far apart, just i may be a bit more accepting of the pay being around tops in the while you want to cap it a few hundred thousand, or a million behind that as far as i can tell.

[K-9]

understood, just pointing out that a lot of the gap between safety and qb is accounted for based on us talking 7-8m as opposed to 20+

 

the structures reflect what you are pointing out, but where he fits in that safety structure and if we will be valuing them in the same way many around the league do is a different debate.

 

any year is a good year to be an all pro free agent. just about any position any year an all pro would be atleast looking in the ballpark of highest paid of all time, simply by the nature of escalating salaries - doesnt mean the players are commonly among the greatest ever.

 

truly though, as ive noted a few times i dont think we are far apart, just i may be a bit more accepting of the pay being around tops in the while you want to cap it a few hundred thousand, or a million behind that as far as i can tell.

 

I really don't care if Byrd becomes the highest paid in history. I've appreciated your arguments relative to the escalating nature of salaries in the NFL. Makes perfect sense. But like I said, I don't confuse pay scale with greatness. Byrd will never be among the greatest free safeties of all time in my eyes, no matter how much he's paid. I just don't see the play to play impact on the game that I've seen from the greats in the past. He just doesn't possess the sheer athleticism to do that.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[NoSaint]

 

 

I really don't care if Byrd becomes the highest paid in history. I've appreciated your arguments relative to the escalating nature of salaries in the NFL. Makes perfect sense. But like I said, I don't confuse pay scale with greatness. Byrd will never be among the greatest free safeties of all time in my eyes, no matter how much he's paid. I just don't see the play to play impact on the game that I've seen from the greats in the past. He just doesn't possess the sheer athleticism to do that.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

havent disagreed there