Who wants to apologize to Jairus Byrd?

[BADOLBILZ]

One team that would be in a good position to sign Byrd is the Redskins. They will be off of their $36 M two year cap punishment (2x$18 M). They have a desperate need to upgrade their secondary and defense. Byrd would be a terrific fit for them.

 

The Bills are currently not only $20 M under the cap this year but they rolled a portion of Fitz's salary into next year. If the Bills and the Skins are both vying for Byrd's services next year the Skins would easily win that bidding war. They will structure the contract in such a way that Byrd woulld get more guaranteed money while the Bills would simply move on to a cheaper player.

 

Byrd and his agent fought hard for a maximum contract last year. They didn't get it. When he gets to his free agency status he is not going to let it go to waste. Anyone who thinks that the Bills are going to franchise him again at an $8.2 rate is wishfully thinking. He is not dumb enough to take a hometown discount after what he went through in last year's hardnosed stance taken by both parties. The only way he is going to be retained is if the Bills give him the highest offer. It is as simple as that. It's a business approach that both parties are going to take.

 

The Bills still hold the hammer by virtue of the franchise tag. If they choose not to use it, fine, but they didn't really have to stick to it this year....but they did it anyway.

 

Before Byrd ever came to camp they had a pretty good idea that they could survive without him at safety. They could have pulled the tag off in August if they didn't intend to follow thru and saved a whole lotta' money.

 

The Bills may want to spend that money elsewhere this offseason but I don't really expect that. Chandler and Branch(or maybe Carrington) might be re-signed but I don't expect them to pursue any 3-down starting players in free agency so they should again be flush with cash. Their starting left guard next year will be a draft pick or a scrap heap acquisition. Buddy didn't invest a lot of important chips in OL in his 4 years here......and Whaley was his lead personnel man so I don't expect that philosophy to change considerably.

 

And they have espoused cash to the cap in the past and the franchise tag fits that model pretty well. If Byrd decides he wants to play footsie again then so be it.

[JohnC]

 

 

8.2m with absolutely no long term promised money is still an affordable deal for a top of the market player. its still the same ballpark as the guys like weddle, berry, goldson, etc.... but if he blows out a knee and is in a spot he may never play the same, they let him walk with no cap hit, and get a compensatory pick still potentially - or get to sign him at the discount.

 

theres no reason 8.2m should be off the table. really, thats the ballpark of what hed see long term so the bills still get a year of working it to their advantage with no real downside. hed even be well versed in the defense already if he skipped camp.

 

The Bills have a business model and history in which if they can replace a player with a much cheaper player they will do it. Can they afford his salary within the cap? Absolutely. But that isn't how they approach managing their finances. How were the Levitre neogtiations handled? The smart approach would have gotten a contract done prior to his free agent year. They didn't take the initiative to lock him up. When a player reaches free agency it would be foolish to let that opportunity go to waste.

 

I simply don't see the Bills signing him for $8.2 M when they have Searcy waiting in the wings for more playing time. Is he nearly as good as Byrd? Of course not. They drafted two safeties last year. So the pipeline has functional bodies waiting in the wings.

 

If the Bills were going to franchise Byrd for two consecutive years they should have signed him to a long term deal last year. They didn't. It is my view (contrary to many) that he will be playing on another team next year with a richer contract than if he stayed with the Bills.

 

The Bills act in their interest; he will act in his interest. Ultimately it is a brutal sport in a high stakes business. I believe he will be playing somewhere else next year. That's how I see things playing out.

Edited November 26, 2013 by JohnC

[Coach Tuesday]

The Bills have a business model and history in which if they can replace a player with a much cheaper player they will do it. Can they afford his salary within the cap? Absolutely. But that isn't how they approach managing their finances. How were the Levitre neogtiations handled? The smart approach would have gotten a contract done prior to his free agent year. They didn't take the initiative to lock him up. When a player reaches free agency it would be foolish to let that opportunity go to waste.

 

I simply don't see the Bills signing him for $8.2 M when they have Searcy waiting in the wings for more playing time. Is he nearly as good as Byrd? Of course not. They drafted two safeties last year. So the pipeline has functional bodies waiting in the wings.

 

If the Bills were going to franchise Byrd for two consecutive years they should have signed him to a long term deal last year. They didn't. It is my view (contrary to many) that he will be playing on another team next year with a richer contract than if he stayed with the Bills.

 

The Bills act in their interest; he will act in his interest. Ultimately it is a brutal sport in a high stakes business. I believe he will be playing somewhere else next year. That's how I see things playing out.

 

I agree witih all of that and I will add that whenever the Bills stumble onto something good, they rush to double down on it. Fitz went on a run so they signed him to an extension right away. Knowing the Bills, they will get overly amped about Pettine's abilities as a DC and assume that personnel on D is less important because he'll just coach 'em up regardless. That mindset will embolden them to let Byrd walk. We've seen it time and again.

[Malazan]

No comparison between Leonhard and Byrd. AW is a SS so nice complement to Byrd.

 

There is a comparison of about 8 million dollars a year that means another 1-4 players don't get resigned. Byrd's had one really impressive game this season. It's still night and day, but while he is very good, a definite top 5 at the position, possibly #1....I'm just not sold that you give a safety that kind of money.

[NoSaint]

 

 

There is a comparison of about 8 million dollars a year that means another 1-4 players don't get resigned. Byrd's had one really impressive game this season. It's still night and day, but while he is very good, a definite top 5 at the position, possibly #1....I'm just not sold that you give a safety that kind of money.

 

i could get it if we were saying a ridiculous percentage of the cap, or compared to other positions he was becoming a true peer.... as the highest paid safety, hed be just about the lowest of the "highest paid at their position" players out there.

 

hed still be half the price of a top pass rusher, or corner, or qb... we would be likely paying less than the top guard, and maybe in line with top TE pay (which still surprises me they dont get more)

[Mark Vader]

To answer the question of this topic:

 

I will apologize to Jairus Byrd, AFTER he has signed a 5-6 year contract with the Bills.

 

A contract that will not cripple the Bills salary cap in the future.

 

Until then, I expect nothing less than big game changing, difference making plays for the rest of the season from him.

 

After all, he is the best Safety in the league.

[CountryCletus]

I will not apologize for calling him a Tyrd... His actions were indicative of that.... Play through injuries like a stud talent does.... If he likes the system and truly wants to finish this out as he stated, he will resign and not break the bank.... I'm not suggesting he take a $3m a year deal... But he doesn't need $8-$9m annually... If he wants to help this team win, take $6.5-7m and give the team a little more cash to acquire quality depth....

[26CornerBlitz]

I will not apologize for calling him a Tyrd... His actions were indicative of that.... Play through injuries like a stud talent does.... If he likes the system and truly wants to finish this out as he stated, he will resign and not break the bank.... I'm not suggesting he take a $3m a year deal... But he doesn't need $8-$9m annually... If he wants to help this team win, take $6.5-7m and give the team a little more cash to acquire quality depth....

 

What actions are you referring to?

 

shouldn't Jairus be apologizing to his teammates for stiffing them ? he may have made the difference in turning one or two of those losses into wins, thereby putting the team in the playoffs.

 

Where's the factual information to support your assertion?

Edited November 26, 2013 by 26CornerBlitz

[Beerball]

Where's the factual information to support your assertion?

Well, they lost close games with Jim Leonhard playing a primary role. If anyone tries to tell you he was an adequate replacement tell them that they are full of crap.

[JohnC]

The Bills still hold the hammer by virtue of the franchise tag. If they choose not to use it, fine, but they didn't really have to stick to it this year....but they did it anyway.

 

Before Byrd ever came to camp they had a pretty good idea that they could survive without him at safety. They could have pulled the tag off in August if they didn't intend to follow thru and saved a whole lotta' money.

 

The Bills may want to spend that money elsewhere this offseason but I don't really expect that. Chandler and Branch(or maybe Carrington) might be re-signed but I don't expect them to pursue any 3-down starting players in free agency so they should again be flush with cash. Their starting left guard next year will be a draft pick or a scrap heap acquisition. Buddy didn't invest a lot of important chips in OL in his 4 years here......and Whaley was his lead personnel man so I don't expect that philosophy to change considerably.

 

There is nothing new about the Byrd saga and how the organizaton handled the situation. For the sake of argument if the organization doesn't come to terms with him and instead keeps him under the franchise tag ($8.2 M) then in retrospect wouldn't it have been better to simply sign him to a contract last year? Most contracts, even long term ones, are structured so that the real money is paid in the early years of the contract with the organization having the ability to walk away from the deal at the back end of the contract. A two year franchise contract is a rich contract that has the liability that the player is still in position to walk the next year.

 

 

 

And they have espoused cash to the cap in the past and the franchise tag fits that model pretty well. If Byrd decides he wants to play footsie again then so be it.

 

You and many others are making the mistake that there is a feud going on between the agent, Parker, and the organization. That is not the case. There is nothing unusual going on between the parties that is outside of the norm. Both the organization and the agent are using their leverage to get the best deal for themselves. The Bills are not going to act out of spite if they believe that the result is going to hurt their interests $$$$. The agent is doing what he is paid to do i.e. get the best deal he can for his client. It's a hardball game played by both sides. It isn't as personal as most people make it out to be. When it comes to money Parker is tough, just as the organization is.

 

The way the Bills manage their finances is different from the way many other teams manage their finances. That is their prerogative. But in that type of environment if another franchise is interested in bidding on Byrd's services (such as the Skins) the Bills are at a disadvatage.

 

Where I disagree with you and many others is that I don't believe that the Bills are willing to franchise Byrd again at $8.2 in order to keep him off the market. The Bills were $20 M under the cap this year and couldn't get a deal done. I simply don't see him wearing the Bills uniform next year unless the organization is willing to pay him the most. That's how I see it playing out.

Edited November 27, 2013 by JohnC

[26CornerBlitz]

Well, they lost close games with Jim Leonhard playing a primary role. If anyone tries to tell you he was an adequate replacement tell them that they are full of crap.

 

Some posters actually tried to argue that the Bills were as good with Leonhard as Byrd. Clearly not supportable in any way as reality.

[JohnC]

Well, they lost close games with Jim Leonhard playing a primary role. If anyone tries to tell you he was an adequate replacement tell them that they are full of crap.

 

I agree with you.

 

There is a line of reasoning that the guard position is not an important position. The loss of Levitre was a major blow. I'm not arguing that the Bills should have paid him at the amount he got from the Titans. But I am saying is that they should have replaced him with higher quality talent than with what they had.

 

There is no doubt that the void at the LG position has had a major negative impact on Spiller and the running game in general. When you plan on playing a rookie qb it helps the qb if the OL facilitates a good running game to take the pressure off of him.

 

Under the new NFL rules of "proper" hitting and less head hunting hitting having a very instinctive safety who can react to the ball is more valuable than under the more belligerent interpretation of the old rules. If the Bills lose Byrd to the market it will be a big loss.

[Smears]

No apologies are necessary. I feel Byrd realizes he can be successful with his role Pettine scheme. He like the players here. There will be a signing. How long will it take? Thats my question

[BADOLBILZ]

Some posters actually tried to argue that the Bills were as good with Leonhard as Byrd. Clearly not supportable in any way as reality.

 

Leonhard was down the list of problems. LG, CB, QB play.....I'd even put WR play on that list before I started tossing Leonhard under the bus. Is he a second team All Pro? No, you are right about that.

[26CornerBlitz]

Leonhard was down the list of problems. LG, CB, QB play.....I'd even put WR play on that list before I started tossing Leonhard under the bus. Is he a second team All Pro? No, you are right about that.

 

Not arguing whether Leonhard was a problem or not. The issues you are raising are immaterial to what was being discussed. BTW, how is saying he's not as good as Byrd "tossing him under the bus"? You should have saved your key strokes in this particular instance.

[mannc]

Well, they lost close games with Jim Leonhard playing a primary role. If anyone tries to tell you he was an adequate replacement tell them that they are full of crap.

The assumption you are making is that Byrd is a malingerer or outright faked the injury. You have no proof of either. I am still waiting for someone to explain what motive Byrd, a FA to be, would have for faking or exaggerating an injury and missing 5 games in his "contract" year .

[CountryCletus]

 

 

What actions are you referring to?

 

 

 

Where's the factual information to support your assertion?

 

Did you pay attention to anything between the end of the regular season and week 6 of this year?

[26CornerBlitz]

Did you pay attention to anything between the end of the regular season and week 6 of this year?

 

Do you understand that he wasn't under contract and the team's execs/coaches have had nothing but praise for his professionalism/attitude?

Edited November 27, 2013 by 26CornerBlitz

[papazoid]

The assumption you are making is that Byrd is a malingerer or outright faked the injury. You have no proof of either. I am still waiting for someone to explain what motive Byrd, a FA to be, would have for faking or exaggerating an injury and missing 5 games in his "contract" year .

 

Motive: to reduce his exposure/risk to a more serious injury or aggravating the injury he had, which could effect his long term earnings.

 

Byrd was injured (last year & this year), there is no doubt in my mind.

 

now, having said that, he played through that same injury last season when it was in his best interest to do so.

 

once he got his $6.9 mil GUARANTEED money and after months of offseason rest, he can't play through the injury to start this season ????

 

nonsense, he went all selfish and stiffed his teammates and fans. yet half the fans don't blame him.

Edited November 27, 2013 by papazoid

[JohnC]

 

 

Motive: to reduce his exposure/risk to a more serious injury or aggravating the injury he had, which could effect his long term earnings.

 

Byrd was injured (last year & this year), there is no doubt in my mind.

 

now, having said that, he played through that same injury last season when it was in his best interest to do so.

 

once he got his $7.9 mil GUARANTEED money and after months of offseason rest, he can't play through the injury to start this season ????

 

nonsense, he went all selfish and stiffed his teammates and fans. yet half the fans don't blame him.

 

Jaurius Byrd is making $6.916 M this year, not $7.9 M.

 

Jaurius Byrd is making $6.916 M this year, not $7.9 M this season.

 

When Brandon was asked on WGR if he felt that Bryd was maligering because of a contract dispute he said absolutely not. Brandon stated that he regularly saw him at the facility and was convinced that he was doing everything necessary to get healthy and get back on the field.

 

When Marrone was asked on WGR if he felt that Byrd was milking the situation because of a contract dispute he said absolutely not. He said he saw him every day working hard to get back to full health and get back on the field.

 

Many people continue to make the claim that he was not getting back on the field out of spite. What do they base their speculative claim on? Certainly they are not basing it on what his bossess and fellow players witnessed on a first hand basis. Not one playerI called out JB for not playing when he was not ready to play.

 

Yet many people continue to make a claim that he declined to play because he was upset with the way he was treated. There is no doubt he was not happy with his contract situation but he handled this situation in a way that was the right thing for him and the team.

 

It was not in the team's interest nor his own interest to prematurely get back on the field with his foot injury. Re-aggravating that type of foot injury could set him back by a year. Yet people continue say what they think he did while simply basing it on their prejudicial impression. If the top sources within the organization are saying the opposite of what those who are smearing JB are saying I will lean toward those in the know rather than those on the outside who are guessing.

 

The bottom line is that it was in his own interest to get back on the field because he was entering another free agency year. It was also in the team's interest to observe him play while he was healthy rather than impaired so that they can make a reasoned judgment on his next contract offer.

Edited November 27, 2013 by JohnC