Poll: Should the Bills keep Byrd?

[All I Need is Hope]

Top 1-3 safety based upon his peers/coaches (pro-bowl voting) and production, in his prime, provides credible/respected leadership to a young secondary... pay him top money. Besides, the difference between the number 4 paid safety and number 1 isn't significant.

[BillsBytheBay]

I want him. I just don't think he wants to be here.

[shibuya]

He is not worth top 5 safety money. I'd give him a generous raise but I wouldn't pay more then $7 mil a year for the guy, and I wouldn't give him more then $15 mil guaranteed for a DB with 2 gimpy feet

 

he makes some plays and he is a liability in others

 

We already have multiple DB's bringing in multiple INT's and we are more desperate at other positions then DB's and we will have to let others DB's walk in a year or 2 if we overpay Byrd.

 

Spend the money on OL ILB's and a TE

[MarkyMannn]

I think you can offer JB whatever you want, but if it isn't the TOP safety money in the game he is not signing. It is that simple. The irony is that with salaries always inflating each year, it may cost MORE this year to sign him to a long term deal than if one was struck a year ago

[reddogblitz]

Byrd is a Pro Bowl safety. He is in the top handful at his position. How many guys do we have we can say that about?

 

Pay him what he wants plus 10%. You don't get better by creating new holes you have to plug.

 

As the other guy said, it's not my money, and we got cap room. What's so hard about this?

[GG]

Interesting. A good 1/3 of voters believe Byrd should be the highest paid safety in the league. For some reason, I wasn't expecting that.

 

Because that's how free agency works. The poll isn't asking if Byrd is the best FS in the league. But being the best available FS in the market again this year, he will be paid at the top. It's just the way that things work in the league, and it would be nice if OBD remembers that it's business not personal.

[TheMadCap]

Because that's how free agency works. The poll isn't asking if Byrd is the best FS in the league. But being the best available FS in the market again this year, he will be paid at the top. It's just the way that things work in the league, and it would be nice if OBD remembers that it's business not personal.

 

absolutely!

 

And IMO, a boatload of cash does wonders to sooth bruised egos and make players love their team!

[BEAST MODE BABY!]

Don't forget Byrd also has a penchant for forcing fumbles as well...

[bigK14094]

I think a tag and trade is the most likely possibility here...Though I do wonder what this season truly did for Byrd's market value...While instinctively he is still clearly one of the best Free Safeties in the NFL, it looked to me that...at least some of the time...the PF was slowing Byrd down...To me he does not look like he's moving as well as he used to, especially in a straight line...And I think that's going to show up on tape...It may be best for the Bills to tag him, put their best offer on the table, and then allow Parker to shop around for a team willing to trade...My guess is Parker will find out quickly that teams are unwilling to make Byrd the highest paid FS in the league...And maybe the Bills offer will be the best one regardless...We'll see...But this thing is FAR from decided that's for sure...

I was watching as Byrd chased the TB running back go on his 80- yard scamper for a TD. It was OK that Byrd could not catch him.....what was not OK was that Bradham ran down and passed Byrd chasing the rb. That tells me something....although Byrd is instinctual and a solid safety, he is relatively slow if a lb could pass him like that. So, top money is out, and a more moderate pay structure makes sense. I don't mind franchise and trade if that the best the Bills can do.

[Dorkington]

Ideally they want to keep him. I don't think they value the position the same as he is demanding, though.

[Rubes]

Because that's how free agency works. The poll isn't asking if Byrd is the best FS in the league. But being the best available FS in the market again this year, he will be paid at the top. It's just the way that things work in the league, and it would be nice if OBD remembers that it's business not personal.

 

Well obviously I get that. What I wasn't expecting is that so many people here came down on the side of "pay him the top money", at least given what people thought of him last off season.

[counselor777]

he is one of if not the best at his position and he proved it this year...the team franchised him to prove their point and look at what we got...PAY THE MAN!!! its a really easy solution...put incentives in the contract easy enough for him to reach to place him in big money.....but PAY HIM.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Interesting. A good 1/3 of voters believe Byrd should be the highest paid safety in the league. For some reason, I wasn't expecting that.

 

I'm surprised it's that low.

 

Although as Jeff points out, there was a lot of anti-Byrdism out there in August and September.