mrags Posted July 20, 2013 Posted July 20, 2013 I think the majority of u on here are living in some fantasy land about Byrd coming in and being a contributing player this season. I will preface that remark w this: If Byrd shows up on time for training camp signing the Franchise tag, than he obviously should be a contributing force on the team going forward. That would be a great scenario. However, I see the odds of that happening as being quite small. If he holds out, he becomes a big distraction to the team moving forward. Marrone and Whaley will not allow that to happen. I believe if the season is approaching and Byrd is not signed he is gone. If he were to sign right before the season starts, he will be traded for whatever we can get. NO WAY the team lets Byrd and Parker dictate how this plays out if he is not on time for training camp. New regime. Management needs to lay the hammer down. Get rid of guys who don't want to be here. (a lot of you will say, what proof do you have that he doesn't want to play here? Wake the F up and connect the dots) No reason that the Williams boys, Meeks and Searcy can not become solid NFL safeties w the right coaching and scheme. And if we are lacking at the position w veteran leadership as training camp progresses, we can always pick up a veteran free agent. Plenty are always available. THAT is most likely how this is all going to play out. well said brother. As you are aware I'm sure, that I'm with this exact same thinking. Either show up before, or early during camp and be a contributing player. Or hold out until less than a few weeks before the season, not knowing the playbook, out of football shape, and either sit unless someone gets injured, or IMO, get traded because the FO would rather get a middle round draft choice than have a safety sitting on the bench because he doesn't know the playbook, making over $6m, for only one season. Barring injury, or absolutely horrible play by the guys filling in for Byrd, he won't get in.
MDH Posted July 20, 2013 Posted July 20, 2013 NO WAY the team lets Byrd and Parker dictate how this plays out if he is not on time for training camp. New regime. Management needs to lay the hammer down. How does trading him "lay the hammer down?" No team is going to trade for him without first signing him to a long term contract. Because of this Byrd and Parker can dictate where he wants to play. If Byrd doesn't want to play somewhere he simply won't negotiate a new contract with that team. So by trading him he gets a shiny new contract with a team he wants to play for. I don't see that as "laying the hammer down." It might be the smart play by the Bills to simply cleanse themselves of this situation and get something in return, but don't kid yourself in thinking they're somehow punishing Byrd in this scenario - it's exactly what he wants.
papazoid Posted July 20, 2013 Posted July 20, 2013 I think the majority of u on here are living in some fantasy land about Byrd coming in and being a contributing player this season. I will preface that remark w this: If Byrd shows up on time for training camp signing the Franchise tag, than he obviously should be a contributing force on the team going forward. That would be a great scenario. However, I see the odds of that happening as being quite small. If he holds out, he becomes a big distraction to the team moving forward. Marrone and Whaley will not allow that to happen. I believe if the season is approaching and Byrd is not signed he is gone. If he were to sign right before the season starts, he will be traded for whatever we can get. NO WAY the team lets Byrd and Parker dictate how this plays out if he is not on time for training camp. New regime. Management needs to lay the hammer down. Get rid of guys who don't want to be here. (a lot of you will say, what proof do you have that he doesn't want to play here? Wake the F up and connect the dots) No reason that the Williams boys, Meeks and Searcy can not become solid NFL safeties w the right coaching and scheme. And if we are lacking at the position w veteran leadership as training camp progresses, we can always pick up a veteran free agent. Plenty are always available. THAT is most likely how this is all going to play out. the day Byrd shows up he is an improvement over every other safety on this team. at most it would take him two weeks to get up to game speed. Byrd only becomes a distraction if the Bills allow it. I don't see that happening. in addition his agent is all action and very little talk, so there will not be a lot of nonsense from their end. I don't see the Bills entertaining any trade scenarios whatsoever this year, because it is unlikely they would receive fair value in return in the form of draft picks AND because the franchise tag for safeties starts so much lower compared to other positions, it essentially gives the Bills an extra year of leverage before the franchise tag value becomes to high. I fully expect the bills to tag byrd again next season and expect a long term deal to get done then. in trade Byrd is worth somewhere between two 1st rounders on the high side and a first & third on the low end. accepting anything less just to get rid of someone who is deemed "doesn't want to be here" because he is taking his time negotiating the most important contract of his career is not in the bills best interest. at this point I don't blame either side for their positions. using a tennis saying, I would say advantage buffalo. the Bills are exercising their rights to team control one very special player, while trying to not overpay. we are not going to attract very many high end free agents without overpaying, so keeping a talented player via the franchise tag becomes even more important to a team like buffalo. we can quibble over his true value and rank amongst Top safeties, but he is clearly in the Top Ten and in his prime. in the end, the biggest unknown is does Byrd want to sign long term with Buffalo. if you are to believe the report from Fred Jackson than that is the first positive sign. the Bills obviously want him or they wouldn't have let levitre walk and used their tag on Byrd.
Doc Posted July 20, 2013 Posted July 20, 2013 youll have to forgive me. I just woke up after being the best man at a wedding (wasted) and I swear I was just making a comment based off what another person wrote as well. I agree with you Doc. Sorry, didn't mean to make it sound like I was jumping down your throat.
mitchmurraydowntown Posted July 20, 2013 Author Posted July 20, 2013 Byrd looks to be gone either way, he was a soft-target for us saving money as well.
uncle flap Posted July 20, 2013 Posted July 20, 2013 Look for the Byrd to sign a one year deal that is commensurate with what he'd be making the first year of a long term contract. Then, after the season, look for the Bills to extend that contract to what looks like the hefty (yet reasonable) contract that should've been settled before the July 15 deadline. I'm not placing a value judgment here, but Parker started a staring contest to see who would blink first leading up to July 15. Neither side blinked, and now Parker has to do what's best in the interests of his client. I know for a fact the Bills were not and are not going to pony up to Byrd's/Parker's initial demands. Parker knows this too and now has to reevaluate his approach. The Bills have all the leverage. A prolonged holdout (or more accurately, refusing to sign) is not going to get that money from the Bills, and another team is not going to pony up those same demands AND give the BIlls adequate compensation. As good as Byrd is, he is still a safety, and I don't think any team could be that desperate to cough up picks/players AND $10 mil/year. It also is not worth it for the Bills to offer Byrd at a discount to another team just to rid themselves of a "problem." If Byrd doesn't sign and doesn't play for however long, or simply signs his tag with no added conditions, he risks losing out on that big pay day in the case that he has a serious injury, or if his play suffers for whatever reason(s). The ONLY way that the Bills don't wind up signing Byrd long term, is if Parker is more concerned with his image than maximizing Byrd's earnings. IMO, Parker's biggest concern now is getting a deal done while still maintaining his image as the premier agent in the NFL. All that said, I think it's safe to expect what I wrote in the first paragraph; Byrd will be signed and in camp sooner than later, and that signing will be a precursor to a long term deal.
Meatloaf Sandwich Posted July 20, 2013 Posted July 20, 2013 (edited) I just hope we can replace him with someone who can give us 23 turnovers in 4 seasons. Watching the Bills recording of 2012 from ESPN 2 and just watched the play where Gronk catches the ball and Byrd comes up and RIPS it from his arms. Not many players can take from Gronk. Edited July 20, 2013 by BuffaloFood
mitchmurraydowntown Posted July 20, 2013 Author Posted July 20, 2013 I just hope we can replace him with someone who can give us 23 turnovers in 4 seasons. Watching the Bills recording of 2012 from ESPN 2 and just watched the play where Gronk catches the ball and Byrd comes up and RIPS it from his arms. Not many players can take from Gronk. Maybe we should make him #1 at his position for that play alone?
Meatloaf Sandwich Posted July 20, 2013 Posted July 20, 2013 Maybe we should make him #1 at his position for that play alone? Impossible
NoSaint Posted July 20, 2013 Posted July 20, 2013 this----^ But I'd like to add, if Byrd is going to come to camp, why not just sign his tag and come in now? Get it over with? What's the holdup? Still more money than the almost $7m he'll make this year? Because he may be in no particular hurry if he's planning on coming in shortly anyway. Especially if he has the playbook. He can show up day 1 and sign if he plans on camp, with little to no difference. That said, I expect him between the end of camp and Monday of the first week for practice and game plan installations
mrags Posted July 20, 2013 Posted July 20, 2013 Because he may be in no particular hurry if he's planning on coming in shortly anyway. Especially if he has the playbook. He can show up day 1 and sign if he plans on camp, with little to no difference. That said, I expect him between the end of camp and Monday of the first week for practice and game plan installations i really hope your right. But if the Bills agree to not re-tag him again next year I'll vomit. Personally I think that means he's gone and I'd rather not bother with him if just for 1 season.
Fan in San Diego Posted July 21, 2013 Posted July 21, 2013 I think Byrd has lost all of his leverage and has to sign the tag and report to camp. If not he is only hurting himself.
mrags Posted July 21, 2013 Posted July 21, 2013 I think Byrd has lost all of his leverage and has to sign the tag and report to camp. If not he is only hurting himself. hed really be hurting himself if he signs the tag and has a career ending injury in the first few days of camp. Just sayin
mitchmurraydowntown Posted July 21, 2013 Author Posted July 21, 2013 hed really be hurting himself if he signs the tag and has a career ending injury in the first few days of camp. Just sayin He can get hurt at home too, he gets paid to play football & not sit home.
Meatloaf Sandwich Posted July 21, 2013 Posted July 21, 2013 (edited) I think he is not doing the right thing in holding out. I just dont see football shape if he waits too long. He will end up getting injured like some other holdouts have had happen, and that isn't good for either side. Edited July 21, 2013 by BuffaloFood
mrags Posted July 21, 2013 Posted July 21, 2013 He can get hurt at home too, he gets paid to play football & not sit home. well, he's not getting paid to do anything right now. Considering he has no contract. But this part of it is a completely different story.
Buffalo_Stampede Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 (edited) hed really be hurting himself if he signs the tag and has a career ending injury in the first few days of camp. Just sayin Well now that he cant sign a long-term deal I think Byrd just put himself in an even worse situation. A month of spa camp, which is basically what it is now vs games with no long-term contract. Eric Berry comes to mind. The guy can get hurt at anytime this year. The injury talk is just a bargaining tool used by agents. Edited July 22, 2013 by TheTruthHurts
mitchmurraydowntown Posted July 22, 2013 Author Posted July 22, 2013 Well now that he cant sign a long-term deal I think Byrd just put himself in an even worse situation. A month of spa camp, which is basically what it is now vs games with no long-term contract. Eric Berry comes to mind. The guy can get hurt at anytime this year. The injury talk is just a bargaining tool used by agents. I forgot about Eric Berry, man that'd be a tough pill to swallow not getting a long-term deal done. Maybe he should ask for #1 pay at his position because the Bills were so bad, that makes sense as well & shows you who's to blame. Pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered.
BuffaloBob Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 Yes, a backloaded contract is the one where you have huge salary jumps at the back end of the contract. The kind that I said didn't go away. Take a look at Mario's contract. What are the chances he sees year 4 with Bills without a renegotiation? All contracts are still structured to force a renegotiation after three years because NFL contracts aren't fully guaranteed. And as for leverage, Bills have advantage as far as holding the cards in negotiating rights. But that's it. Byrd holds the cards for the improvement of the football team. Who is winning with Byrd watching TV on his couch in August? If he comes back and has a decent year, the situation now repeats, but Bills' options are reduced because they'll have to decide the FP tag on Byrd or Wood. That's what I mean about reducing your options. And if Byrd leaves and Bills get more picks, then you're back to square one. Great, you add more picks but lose a top caliber player. Did I mention lather rinse repeat. Are the Bills building a football team or moving up on the Forbes list of teams with the highest operating income? Yes, they HAVE gone away. Teams who manage their cap do NOT backload contracts any more, and they seek to avoid forcing a renegotiation after three years with a young guy like Byrd. Why would they want to go through this again in just 3 years? Byrd has the incentive to play, and play well. If he doesn't he only penalizes himself as to the huge payday he seeks. The Bills can play this game if he and Parker want to. It will NOT help Byrd's long-term goal in the least. If the Bills franchise him over the next two seasons, he's two years older and if he shows up after camp and takes half of a season to begin playing well, it will hurt the Bills, but it will hurt him as well, and perhaps more than it hurts the Bills. hed really be hurting himself if he signs the tag and has a career ending injury in the first few days of camp. Just sayin He can buy an insurance policy against that.
mrags Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 He can buy an insurance policy against that. if your referring to a Willis McGahee type of policy he took out on his knees, how much was that? $1million?... $5million maybe? Byrd is slotted to make another $60mil+ in his career. How much would a $60mil insurance policy run nowadays?
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