Byrd = $12.3 M cash, our 5 new FA signings = $17.775 M cash

[The Wiz]

I heard the Bills actually demanded Byrd pay them to play in Buffalo. Littman wanted $54m over six years and $28m guaranteed over the first three.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Byrd is cheap.

[1B4IDie]

with wawrows report i beleive the verbiage was "nearly 30m" or "in the area of 30m" or something along those lines... essentially not a firm 30m as much as a rough number. its possible he didnt really leave any money on the table in the first 3 years, compared to the 28m the saints gave.

 

from there, whether you believe grahams number or not, it seems the bills source wouldve been a bit more forthcoming over the life of the deal if it hadnt dipped atleast some.

 

speculation for sure, but i dont think the ice im walking on is tooooo thin with any of that.

I edited my post to include the links to Warrow and Graham's reporting.

The point being that Byrd's "6 Year" contract is actually a "4 year" contract with 2 years thrown in to spread the cap hit.

 

The Saints will not be paying a 30+ year old Free Safety a 9 Million base salary in 2018. Not gonna happen. He will be re-negotiated or cut before that happens.

 

So it all comes down to the missing guaranteed number in the Bills contract offer but it seems like that offer is buried next to Jimmy Hoffa.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Why So Serious?

[machine gun kelly]

It's over. Byrd is gone. The mistake as always in Buffalo is they did not extend him early like they did with Wood. If they took a serious run at him last year, they would have picked him up for 8 mil a year which is fair for his talent. They screwed up on Byrd, Levitre, Peters, and so on.

 

They succeeded with Wood. If they could just get guys earlier in their tenure, they can get these guys with the incentive of guaranteed money for less.

 

That is their main problem. I hope they fix it as I'm sick of losing talent. Can you imagine of we had Cordy Glenn at RT, Peters at LT, Byrd at safety, Levitre at LG? I know it's woulda coulda shoulda, but we could've saved some of these guys. We also would be a winning team if we just retained some of these guys.

[NoSaint]

 

I edited my post to include the links to Warrow and Graham's reporting.

The point being that Byrd's "6 Year" contract is actually a "4 year" contract with 2 years thrown in to spread the cap hit.

 

The Saints will not be paying a 30+ year old Free Safety a 9 Million base salary in 2018. Not gonna happen. He will be re-negotiated or cut before that happens.

 

So it all comes down to the missing guaranteed number in the Bills contract offer but it seems like that offer is buried next to Jimmy Hoffa.

 

after the 5th year theres no benefit to spreading the cap hit. the signing bonus only goes across 5 years. like you said, its pretty comfortably a 4 year deal, with a couple team option years on the end.... but thats any long term contract as the dead money is close to gone after 4 years and completely gone after 5.

 

in this case, im guessing the bills offer dipped those last few years and byrd preferred a high paying team option or free agency over a team discount at the end.

[1B4IDie]

after the 5th year theres no benefit to spreading the cap hit. the signing bonus only goes across 5 years. like you said, its pretty comfortably a 4 year deal, with a couple team option years on the end.... but thats any long term contract as the dead money is close to gone after 4 years and completely gone after 5.

 

in this case, im guessing the bills offer dipped those last few years and byrd preferred a high paying team option or free agency over a team discount at the end.

Completely Agree with your analysis of the New Orleans contract.

Byrd gets a new contract with more Guaranteed Money as early as 2017 and that is probably in his best financial interest and worst case the Saints are on the hook to give him some huge game checks in his early 30s.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Why So Serious?

[NoSaint]

 

Completely Agree with your analysis of the New Orleans contract.

Byrd gets a new contract with more Guaranteed Money as early as 2017 and that is probably in his best financial interest and worst case the Saints are on the hook to give him some huge game checks in his early 30s.

 

yup - if we dipped down into the 6-7m range for the last couple years, or as tims numbers would assert the last 3 years being 15m total (first 3 years averaging 10m, total averaging 7.5m).... byrd would simply be betting on himself to, as a worst case, be able to match that as a 30/31 year old free agent and best case have a 9m per year deal he plays out.

 

parker got him a comfortable setup and to a winner. as a bills fan i dont like it, but such is life.

[Beerball]

I have not seen one analyst who believes that a safety is worth what Byrd got from NO. I think the Bills made him a fair offer and he chased the money in NO. Good for him, but I'm glad the Bills didn't pony up more to keep him. I like the guys they have signed. Good teams have depth and that is what the Bills have added. They look to be better against the run, which was a huge weakness. Williams will do fine at FS at the other guys are more than adequate at SS. Would love to have kept Byrd, but I don't believe his leaving creates a huge hole at safety.

I don't believe I mentioned anything about his NO deal? Was Byrd worth $8.3M for one season? That is the important #. I couldn't care less what anyone thinks about the deal he signed with NO. You have to ask yourself whether the safety position on the Bills (that's all we care about) is better or worse without him. Unless you can say better then he should have been tagged. Then you trade him or play him. Really, this is pretty simple.

[CJallDAY]

why are so many here worried about wilson's money? there are plenty of minions already doing that. as fans why should we care if they met their cash to cap goals?

 

we care about future cap problems that occur when u get dependent on the cap increasing a certain percent each year. then u end up like the cowboys and have to cut your best player

[Beerball]

we care about future cap problems that occur when u get dependent on the cap increasing a certain percent each year. then u end up like the cowboys and have to cut your best player

This team doesn't have to worry about the cap until such a time as they are trying to re-sign a franchise QB. Till then...it really shouldn't be an issue (even with Mario's inflated deal).

[NoSaint]

I don't believe I mentioned anything about his NO deal? Was Byrd worth $8.3M for one season? That is the important #. I couldn't care less what anyone thinks about the deal he signed with NO. You have to ask yourself whether the safety position on the Bills (that's all we care about) is better or worse without him. Unless you can say better then he should have been tagged. Then you trade him or play him. Really, this is pretty simple.

 

and the answer seems to be that the bills were cool with numbers in the 9-10m range short term, but potentially not as an overall average. its possible they only felt going over 7.5m was prudent if they would be getting it back later.

 

in this case i think the tag was an obvious choice, but.... oh well.

[Rockinon]

I don't believe this 3 year, 30m number has any merit. It was simply the first figure to come out.

 

Tim Graham he stated since that he's heard independently from two different sources that the number was in fact 7.5m for the first two years. And I would assume in that case, it was backloaded.

 

If that's true, they pretty much pushed Byrd out the door.

Nobody really knows except Byrd, his agent and the Bills FO. That is why I said "Believed to be". And I am not eve certain it was that much. Point is, NO mad an offer he can't refuse.

[maryland-bills-fan]

The Bills did the right thing. They decided on Byrd's worth to the team and stayed with that figure. Byrd figured that he could get more as an unrestricted free agent if his new team did not have to trade something for him. That "value" of a second or third round pick got turned into money in Parker's and Byrd's pocket. Goodbye, but don't expect any love from me. The Bills have since taken that saved money and turned it into two quality linebackers, a starting dime defensive back and a veteran pounding running back. Instead of scrubs or waiver wire players, we have quality FA's at 2 starting positions and 3 package positions. We are better off. Give the Bills a shout for using this saved $$$ to improve the team rather than, as some would blame, keeping money in the owner's pocket.

[YoloinOhio]

The Bills did the right thing. They decided on Byrd's worth to the team and stayed with that figure. Byrd figured that he could get more as an unrestricted free agent if his new team did not have to trade something for him. That "value" of a second or third round pick got turned into money in Parker's and Byrd's pocket. Goodbye, but don't expect any love from me. The Bills have since taken that saved money and turned it into two quality linebackers, a starting dime defensive back and a veteran pounding running back. Instead of scrubs or waiver wire players, we have quality FA's at 2 starting positions and 3 package positions. We are better off. Give the Bills a shout for using this saved $$$ to improve the team rather than, as some would blame, keeping money in the owner's pocket.

Every smart GM does this. I don't see why it is such a huge ordeal. Even Elway says he does this. You have to have a value to YOUR team for each player. It is going to differ for every team, for each player. If you don't stick to it, you cannot build a team for the long-term. This is just life after FA. Guys you drafted are going to leave when they can make more elsewhere or just want a change of scenery. Likewise, teams can add pieces they did not draft. It is a fact of FA. The trick is how to replace the player. You simply cannot keep everyone in FA. The market will inevitably pay more than the player is worth to your team at times, and if both sides don't want to get an extension done before the player becomes a FA it just won't happen. Players hate the tag and it ultimately hurts the negotiation process for the team which is why usage of the tag has declined every year. Edited March 19, 2014 by YoloinOhio

[Bob Malooga]

I'm not convinced Rivers will start or even make the team if they draft another LB and an UDFA comes out of nowhere. I don't want Moats or Bradham any longer but Lawson played well enough to start.

Also not convinced Carpeneter wins the kicking job.

Lastly Williams signing is routinely listed as one of the worst by a non-Oakland Raider team.

They would have been better off with Byrd (12.3), Graham (5.55), and Spikes(3.25). They could have addressed LG more cheaply or in the draft.

 

But at least there is hope and new faces. Maybe Williams is a very good LG playing between Glenn and Wood. Maybe Graham, Gilmore, McKelvin, Roby, and the oft injured kid from LSU make one hell of a set of DB's. And maybe Spikes at MLB and Kiko at OLB is the answer to the run defense.

 

Still not convinced there is a quality SS on the roster though...

Were you one of the fans who thought the Bills traded a "starting" MLB for a "bust" last year, when they shipped Kelvin Sheppard to the Colts for Jerry Hughes? Maybe this is starting to become a place where careers can be revived, rather than where they come to die...I trust in Doug Whaley and his staff.

 

These are all guys who are still relatively young and cheap, relatively high draft picks (some 1st rounders)...and they all have chips on their shoulders. Exactly what the Bills need. I am very excited about the prospects of Brandon Spikes in the middle of the defense, and Anthony Dixon pounding in the rock from the goal-line and flattening kick returners.

 

Two players I wanted the Bills to draft, two players I wanted the Bills to sign...I absolutely think they belong here, and I welcome their "swagger" and WINNING culture.

 

*** Not only that, but it is easy to see...Doug Whaley is a young, up-and-coming NFL General Manager. He did not let Byrd leave because anybody told him he had to or that they couldn't afford to keep him...he let Byrd walk because through all of his experience, through everything he has learned and been taught...he felt that was the best move for his football club moving forward. He is in this business to make a name for himself. He came from a proud organization who does things right. He has a sense of pride. He has a certain "swagger" to him, as well. This man is not here to be a "yes-man puppet," he is here to build a winning football organization and put HIS stamp on that football organization. He is here to win...trust in him, give him time...let him do his job and display results before you jump down his throat.

 

And not only that, but most importantly...Jairus Byrd chose to leave. That is on him. He wanted to collect a paycheck...good for him, now...goodbye, time to move on. I would rather have Aaron Williams as the "leader/captain" of the secondary. The kid shows toughness and a willingness to do whatever is asked of him. He WANTS to be here and work to turn this thing around.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Bob Malooga

[1B4IDie]

I don't believe I mentioned anything about his NO deal? Was Byrd worth $8.3M for one season? That is the important #. I couldn't care less what anyone thinks about the deal he signed with NO. You have to ask yourself whether the safety position on the Bills (that's all we care about) is better or worse without him. Unless you can say better then he should have been tagged. Then you trade him or play him. Really, this is pretty simple.

I agree with you, the Bills unequivocally got worse at Safety. I'm sure someone will take up the counter argument but really there isn't much to back any claim that the Bills improved at Safety.

 

The question would be is a 3 Time Pro Bowl Safety that had 22 Interceptions in 4 years a major contributing factor to improving the number of wins by the Buffalo Bills. Thats what we really want, more wins.

 

Having an all world Free Safety didn't seem to have a direct impact on wins and loses in the last 4 years. Is the drop off to a pedestrian, off the street Free Safety going to cause the Bills to lose more games?

 

I don't know.

 

I personally would prefer not to find out and keep Byrd on the roster. However since we have to lie in the bed that the Bills FO made, I suspect that the 2014 Wins and Losses total won't take a hit with the loss of Byrd.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Why So Serious?

[NoSaint]

Every smart GM does this. I don't see why it is such a huge ordeal.

 

I believe the ordeal is most think 8.4 is a number most smart gms would've been ok with in our situation and that we got nothing but cap space in return for not paying it.

[YoloinOhio]

I believe the ordeal is most think 8.4 is a number most smart gms would've been ok with in our situation and that we got nothing but cap space in return for not paying it.

We still don't know the offer, so I'll go with the assumption Whaley offered what he thought his value was - whatever the # may be, and that if there was real trade value with a tag, it would have happened. Edited March 19, 2014 by YoloinOhio

[Direhard Fan]

Glad the Bird flew. He did not want to be with us. Good bye and don't let the door hit you on the way out. End of story. Time to move on. We did fine in FA. I think Waley is looking ahead and planning on keeping the players that want to be here next year and after. He has impressed. Time will tell.

[NoSaint]

We still don't know the offer, so I'll go with the assumption Whaley offered what he thought his value was - whatever the # may be, and that if there was real trade value with a tag, it would have happened.

 

a 7th round pick wouldve been more than we are getting. we would all complain its all we got, but its more than we are currently getting. if there was ANY trade value, the tag was the way to go.

Edited March 19, 2014 by NoSaint

[Dean Cain]

We been drafting to build our depth at safety & with FA we've added depth at LB. All signs seem to point in the direction that we will look to add another OL, WR or TE early in the draft.