The free agent safety market is unbelievable

[ngbills]

Just now, NickelCity said:

 

Do we have details on that contract yet? Total head scratcher yesterday. He's not a starting safety imo. Perhaps a big nickel. 

Have not seen anything yet. But seems like at least a raise which is odd in this market and coming off a year he was not even a starter vs the year before. No doubt could have got him back for cheap. 

[BillsVet]

Safety talent is to NFL football in the 2020s like HR is to a corporation.  Even having good ones doesn't really matter that much.

 

[BigAl2526]

I doubt that the Bills are going to sign one of the top names on the list.  Last time I looked, the Bills are still dealing with a fairly tight cap situation, even after the cuts they just made.  They'll sign somebody though.  Are there any guys who are in a similar situation to Jordan Poyer when the Bills got him from the Browns?

[HomeskillitMoorman]

3 hours ago, CaptnCoke11 said:

We need a center fielder type safety now so that eliminates guys like Chinn

 

He played for the Panthers though, so whether he's a good fit for the team or not, that alone places him at the top of our organization's list

[dollars 2 donuts]

 

There are literally five of these safeties hanging out in my back yard right now.

 

I don’t even know how to get rid of them. 
 

“SHOO, GO AWAY.  I DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY OR A JOB FOR YOU!”

 

 

Edited March 7 by dollars 2 donuts

[KHAN]

2 minutes ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

There are literally five of these safeties hanging out in my back yard right now.

 

I don’t even know how to get rid of them. 
 

“SHOO, GO AWAY.  I DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY OR A JOB FOR YOU!”

 

 

[billsfan89]

Depending on what happens with Diggs contract and how they approach the smaller moves they make cap wise (Knox, Johnson and Dawkins extensions or restructures) the Bills after restructuring Josh’s deal will be somewhere in the range of 25-45 million below the cap.

 

If they can push that number above 30 million they should have some money to play with to go after a “mid-level” safety while signing at least some of the Bills remaining internal free agents . If they can go close to or above 40 million in space they should be able to afford 2 or more “mid-level” additions while signing some internal free agents.

 

A lot of how the Bills approach free agency is going to be determined by these next few cap moves assuming (safely) that they restructure Josh. Will they actually have some money to spend or is it going to be just a small amount they have to play with which will mostly be for some remaining internal free agents?

[Lagoon Blues]

2 hours ago, weebdestroyer12 said:

We're getting Hyde and Poyer back.

 

Let them taste FA. Too many team need Safeties and not every player fits in the system easily. Their value will go down and Beane picks them back up for less than before and boom 

I have a feeling hyde will hang it up due to his neck.

[BILLSINATL]

Chinn and a mid round pick to compete with Rapp

[Utah John]

Seems like a lot of teams are just tossing their safeties into a bucket, and then they'll grab a different one out of the bucket and pay him less than they were paying the guy they had before.  League-wide collusion to drive down prices.  

11 hours ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

There are literally five of these safeties hanging out in my back yard right now.

 

I don’t even know how to get rid of them. 
 

“SHOO, GO AWAY.  I DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY OR A JOB FOR YOU!”

 

 

You might THINK they're just hanging out, but just try running to your back fence and see how that goes.

14 hours ago, BillsVet said:

Safety talent is to NFL football in the 2020s like HR is to a corporation.  Even having good ones doesn't really matter that much.

 

I suspect you're wrong about that.  Having a bad HR department can get your company sued.  And I think we're gonna find out next year just how valuable Hyde and Poyer were to the overall structure of the defense.  

[ToGoGo]

When the price is low for elite talent, this is the year to pay for an A+ safety and running back. 

[BillsVet]

6 hours ago, Utah John said:

I suspect you're wrong about that.  Having a bad HR department can get your company sued.  And I think we're gonna find out next year just how valuable Hyde and Poyer were to the overall structure of the defense.  

 

HR at most corporations is almost worthless because the least talented people go there.  And now most functions like benefits are online.     

 

By the way, who were the starting safeties for KC or SF last season?  And were those guys 1st/2nd team All-Pro or even Pro Bowl selections last year?

 

None of them were and it wouldn't have mattered much if it did against excellent offenses.  

  

[Bruffalo]

7 hours ago, Utah John said:

And I think we're gonna find out next year just how valuable Hyde and Poyer were to the overall structure of the defense.  

 

We already found out.  They can't hold the lead for the final drive because the defense was too tired. The secondary got absolutely carved to shreds.  The problem was never so pronounced when Hyde/Poyer were a bit younger/healthier/faster. 

 

We needed to move on and get more youthful energy into that position. I think it's going to help the "defense can't hold on to the lead their given" narrative that we saw play out all last season. 

 

EDIT: And by the way, the rest of the league thought about Poyer the same way I'm describing him, but last season.  He slunk back to the Bills after getting no enticing offers in FA.

Edited March 8 by Bruffalo

[BigAl2526]

Just going down through the whole list, it looks like there are lots of reasonable prospects.  There is only a handful, like 3 or 4 that I'd be inclined to throw out (too old, to slow or too small, or a combination thereof.  I'd be a little surprised if the Bills can't find a player they like at a value they are happy with.  

[foreboding]

On 3/7/2024 at 10:55 AM, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Are any of these guys better than Rapp? Honest question as I don't know much about many of the names. Most seem old and on their final legs

Have to figure there are a few that would have been just as good and maybe cheaper. But Rapp knows the system now. 

I'd add another cheap veteran age 25-28 and draft another. 

Poyer knows it pretty well...

[NoSaint]

On 3/7/2024 at 9:46 AM, BBFL said:

I’ve never seen anything like it for one position… And this year there is 2 that has a wealth of All-Pro talent at the same time…

 

What a year to be in the market for a running back or safety. 

Two of the least valued positions seeing old expensive vets hit the market? Not shocking 

[BBFL]

2 hours ago, NoSaint said:

Two of the least valued positions seeing old expensive vets hit the market? Not shocking 

Might be but there is a slew of “big ticket” experienced players and excellent young talent at the same time for both positions. I’m not shocked, just haven’t seen the combination of multiple positions have both that criteria for a host of players. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Unbelievable?  Perhaps.

I am waiting until one of the pundits proclaim it to be 'inconceivable'.

[SoonerBillsFan]

9 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Unbelievable?  Perhaps.

I am waiting until one of the pundits proclaim it to be 'inconceivable'.