No surprise: Byrd will not report to Training Camp

[ThunderGun]

Per Rotoworld:

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5307/jairus-byrd

Sources tell the Buffalo News that Bills franchise player Jairus Byrd will not report to training camp.

As expected. Technically, Byrd is not "holding out" because he has not signed his one-year $6.916 million franchise tender. Therefore, the Bills can not fine him. Byrd will only feel the pain financially if he skips regular season games, a move we don't expect him to pull off. He'll likely continue to work out on his own and then sign the tender a week or two before the Sept. 8 opener. Byrd and the Bills missed the July 15 deadline to sign a long-term deal. Jul 25 - 1:46 PM

[better days]

Trying to get the Bills to rescind the tag for next year. He is only hurting himself by missing Camp.

[SpikedLemonade]

He has laid down his cards and now needs to follow through until the end of August.

[Meathead]

i dont see any reason why the bills would promise not to tag him again. let him do what he wants, hes not going to forfeit any paychecks so he shows up when he shows up. and if he doesnt negotiate a reasonable deal next offseason then they just tag him again and prepare to move on the following season with somebody else. they get him for two seasons with close to zero risk, no guaranteed money, and time to prepare his successor

with that said, i still hope they find a way to keep him long term but if hes not willing to be reasonable then hes really just hurting himself

[stuckincincy]

i dont see any reason why the bills would promise not to tag him again. let him do what he wants, hes not going to forfeit any paychecks so he shows up when he shows up. and if he doesnt negotiate a reasonable deal next offseason then they just tag him again and prepare to move on the following season with somebody else. they get him for two seasons with close to zero risk, no guaranteed money, and time to prepare his successor

with that said, i still hope they find a way to keep him long term but if hes not willing to be reasonable then hes really just hurting himself

That's good plan for the Bills. The risk would be if he dogs it, or milks injuries. Both of which I doubt - by all accounts I've heard, he's a straight shooter.

[OpIv37]

I don't see any way they keep him long term, unless Byrd fires Parker. Too much bad blood.

[EDS]

Alienating their best defender should be a winning move for the Bills.

[Mr. Miyagi]

WTF is wrong with this kid? Damn it to hell. Let him sit and rot.

[justasportsfan]

Does he expect to show up when season starts and automatically start in Pettines system?
I doubt he starts and how does he expect to get a bigger paycheck from other teams next year while sitting on the bench?

[tatersalad]

Buffalo has no reason to rescind that tag next yr. and Parker is just tough to deal with!! I agree whole heartedly they will tag him again, so the who blinks first loses game has started

[DieHrdBillsFan23]

If they plan on tagging Byrd again next year, they better move quickly to sign Spiller and Wood to long term deals, because they won't have any way to hold on to them when FA starts with a deal in place.

[stuckincincy]

Does he expect to show up when season starts and automatically start in Pettines system?
I doubt he starts and how does he expect to get a bigger paycheck from other teams next year while sitting on the bench?

Probably will start. Byrd's a seasoned vet, and moreover, a defensive safety vet - they get an excellent view of offensive formations and tendencies.

I'm happy about the coaching changes - but football has been played for over a hundred years, so I doubt Pettine has descended from the heavens clutching a plan never before seen. :D

[justasportsfan]

Probably will start. Byrd's a seasoned vet, and moreover, a defensive safety vet - they get an excellent view of offensive formations and tendencies.

I'm happy about the coaching changes - but football has been played for over a hundred years, so I doubt Pettine has descended from the heavens clutching a plan never before seen. :D

I agree. But, he may also end up being a headless chicken running around not knowing where he nor his teammates are supposed to be. I'm pretty sure that Wanny and Pettine have different terminologies as well.

Under Wanny , not only did Byrd and his teammates know where they were supposed to be, even the opponents knew. This time, Marrio said himself he doesn't what his position is or who is going to be blitzing.

[stuckincincy]

Under Wanny , not only did Byrd and his teammates know where they were supposed to be, even the opponents knew.

Sad but true... :bandwagon

[OpIv37]

I agree. But, he may also end up being a headless chicken running around not knowing where he nor his teammates are supposed to be. I'm pretty sure that Wanny and Pettine have different terminologies as well.

Under Wanny , not only did Byrd and his teammates know where they were supposed to be, even the opponents knew. This time, Marrio said himself he doesn't what his position is or who is going to be blitzing.

so, you're saying he's going to be Aaron Williams?

[Mr. Pink]

He could show up and sign his tender Saturday Sept 7th and start the next day.

What are we gonna do instead? Start that bum Aaron Williams?

:rofl:

Or will the Bills teach him a lesson and make him sit? That will be a good way to ensure that Byrd will never want to play here again.

[justasportsfan]

He could show up and sign his tender Saturday Sept 7th and start the next day.

What are we gonna do instead? Start that bum Aaron Williams?

:rofl:

Or will the Bills teach him a lesson and make him sit? That will be a good way to ensure that Byrd will never want to play here again.

Don't think it's about teaching him a lesson. It's about putting the best players our there and if you're clueless, you're most likely to hurt the team.

[Mr. Pink]

Don't think it's about teaching him a lesson. It's about putting the best players our there and if you're clueless, you're most likely to hurt the team.

Byrd is our best defensive player, period.

[justasportsfan]

Byrd is our best defensive player, period.

You're arguing with someone who thinks we should pay him, but I don't care how good you are. It's a team sport. If you don't know your playbook, you're useless.

[Ed]

It's sad that this situation is playing out the way it is. Byrd has been a consistently great player who never gets hurt and is a high character model citizen off the field. With how much cap space the Bills have available right now, I don't understand why they couldn't come to terms on a contract worth $40+ mil that was heavily front loaded in this first year, making his cap hit in future years more manageable. If the Bills really don't think he's worth it, or the FS position isn't important enough, then they should have just traded him. It really doesn't make any sense to have Byrd play under the tag for one year.

[GingerP]

You're arguing with someone who thinks we should pay him, but I don't care how good you are. It's a team sport. If you don't know your playbook, you're useless.

Even if he isn't ready right away, he will eventually be in there. He is one of their best players, and they are going to get him ready as soon as they can because they want to win games. They aren't going to make themselves a worse team just to spite him.

In the end, Byrd has 4 years of film showing how good a player he is, nothing he does this year is going to make his value change by much. The only thing that really could hurt him is a serious injury, which is why he is sitting out and why he prefers a long-term deal.

[better days]

Alienating their best defender should be a winning move for the Bills.

About as good a move as alienating the Bills front office & fan base is for Byrd.

[better days]

Even if he isn't ready right away, he will eventually be in there. He is one of their best players, and they are going to get him ready as soon as they can because they want to win games. They aren't going to make themselves a worse team just to spite him.

In the end, Byrd has 4 years of film showing how good a player he is, nothing he does this year is going to make his value change by much. The only thing that really could hurt him is a serious injury, which is why he is sitting out and why he prefers a long-term deal.

He is much more likely to be injured at the start of the season if he sits out the entire camp.

And his agent should have negotiated a long term deal for him when he had the chance. Now he will have to play it year by year.

[BillsFever21]

Does he expect to show up when season starts and automatically start in Pettines system?
I doubt he starts and how does he expect to get a bigger paycheck from other teams next year while sitting on the bench?

This isn't the first time a player has held out. He will be in camp midway through the preseason and he will be starting. Pettine isn't going to leave him on the bench if he is by far the best option for FS on the team. At the worse he may see some reduced playing time for the first several weeks if he isn't in shape or adjusted to the new system because of holding out. Once all of that is squared away he will be starting.

[BillsFever21]

Look at how many times Revis held out when he was with the Jets. Hell he even held out after he received a new contract by holding out because he wanted another one. He was the king of holding out but it's not like Pettine sat him on the bench. They were probably thrilled when he finally did return.

The coaches or players don't like it when players hold out over contract disputes but they understand the process and they respect somebody trying to get paid. They already got paid or want to get paid someday too. Even the coaches run under contract and look for new deals when they are approaching the final year of their contract.

Of course Byrd isn't on the same level of Revis but Byrd is one of the best at his position in the NFL. When he shows up he will be playing when/if he is in shape and adapted to the new system. They're not going to keep a better player on the bench. If that was the case then they would just withdraw the franchise tag and let him go sign somewhere else. Why pay him the 6.9 million now if they would just plan on benching him because of the holdout? Not going to happen as long as he's ready to play.

[better days]

This isn't the first time a player has held out. He will be in camp midway through the preseason and he will be starting. Pettine isn't going to leave him on the bench if he is by far the best option for FS on the team. At the worse he may see some reduced playing time for the first several weeks if he isn't in shape or adjusted to the new system because of holding out. Once all of that is squared away he will be starting.

Well, you could be right, so no point in the Bills caving in to any demands by him.

If he holds out past midway of preseason, I would not even offer him a contract for next year, just tag him again.

When he is a FA the year after that (IF he does not get injured) he will be 29 years old & some team will offer him a 2 or 3 year contract for much less than he expects.

[BillsFever21]

Well, you could be right, so no point in the Bills caving in to any demands by him.

If he holds out past midway of preseason, I would not even offer him a contract for next year, just tag him again.

When he is a FA the year after that (IF he does not get injured) he will be 29 years old & some team will offer him a 2 or 3 year contract for much less than he expects.

A lot can happen in one season. We could play better this season or he could like the new coaching staff and want to sign a contract after this season. Things can change in one season if the team is improving.

I would offer him a contract again and if it's obvious he doesn't want to be there then tag him again and trade him. The last thing they can do is cave in on not tagging him again. He's not going to miss games and lose out on money. He will be there for week one.

He would still do alright if he got tagged twice if he stayed healthy. He would get over 8 million next year and even if he only did get a 3 year contract after that he would make out alright. After the two years of being tagged it would still basically be a 5 year contract from now. He would probably end up with more money when it's all said and done throughout the 5 year span if he stayed healthy and still played good football.

[better days]

A lot can happen in one season. We could play better this season or he could like the new coaching staff and want to sign a contract after this season. Things can change in one season if the team is improving.

I would offer him a contract again and if it's obvious he doesn't want to be there then tag him again and trade him. The last thing they can do is cave in on not tagging him again. He's not going to miss games and lose out on money. He will be there for week one.

He would still do alright if he got tagged twice if he stayed healthy. He would get over 8 million next year and even if he only did get a 3 year contract after that he would make out alright. After the two years of being tagged it would still basically be a 5 year contract from now. He would probably end up with more money when it's all said and done throughout the 5 year span if he stayed healthy and still played good football.

He may make out alright, but I doubt he will see much more money than the Bills already offered him & he would have that security of a long term contract NOW.

Mark Kelso said he talked to Byrd & Byrd likes Buffalo & did not want to leave.

He also said he & players on the team told Byrd how important it was to get to camp on time to learn this new defense.

If Byrd holds out long into Camp, I think that can be blamed on Parker, but like I said I would make Byrd/Parker pay for that by not offering him a contract the next year if it were up to me.

Tag him & let him play for the year at about $8Mill.............................if he is still healthy.

[kishoph]

If he doesn't show up this weekend, let him sit at home on his couch and watch the games with Eugene Parker.

[jimmifli]

About as good a move as alienating the Bills front office & fan base is for Byrd.
Well no. We've seen a few players do that and it worked out really well for them. They went to teams with better records and got paid more.

[better days]

Well no. We've seen a few players do that and it worked out really well for them. They went to teams with better records and got paid more.

Yeah, the Eagles have been so GREAT they got rid of their HC. That trade worked out really good for Andy Reid.

This is why the Bills need to suck it up & NOT trade Byrd. So other players looking for a contract don't look to do the same as Peters did.

[Meathead]

He would still do alright if he got tagged twice if he stayed healthy. He would get over 8 million next year and even if he only did get a 3 year contract after that he would make out alright. After the two years of being tagged it would still basically be a 5 year contract from now. He would probably end up with more money when it's all said and done throughout the 5 year span if he stayed healthy and still played good football.

thats a big freakin IF

so lets say the bills offered him (or were willing to) a contract something like 8m total per for six years, which seems quite likely considering his level of play and that they are going to pay him seven mil just on the one year tag. he cant be asking for more than 9.2 mil bc even at that hes the top paid safety in the league

so for a total of 2.4 million over the next two seasons he is risking a number of things that could cut or eliminat the gravy train forever. any significant injury he suffers this season will cut his value in at least half for next season and possibly beyond. he might not play well for whatever reason, which happens a ton when guys have a big season and get paid. one of the other guys could step up and seriously threaten his job or at least prove hes replaceable in this defense. and of course he faces the whole situation again next season if no deal is reached and the bills decide to tag him again

i really dont get why byrd is holding the line here. he has little to gain except bragging rights when compared to all that hes risking. idk if its him or his agent but it just seems like a bad move to me

[HAMMER]

If Byrd isn't in camp but comes back just before week 1 he will not start.

[BertSquirtgum]

If Byrd isn't in camp but comes back just before week 1 he will not start.

Quoted for truth

[Meathead]

If Byrd isn't in camp but comes back just before week 1 he will not start.

true but im sure he would play some and they would try to get him back as the starter asap

the best thing in that case of course would be for his replacement to show he can handle the job. im not counting on it but williams might surprise everybody and be that guy. his time at cb was really more of an experiment as he was looked at as more of a nfl safety coming out of college and he might excel at that. certainly would help the bills a lot if he did

[BillsFever21]

thats a big freakin IF

so lets say the bills offered him (or were willing to) a contract something like 8m total per for six years, which seems quite likely considering his level of play and that they are going to pay him seven mil just on the one year tag. he cant be asking for more than 9.2 mil bc even at that hes the top paid safety in the league

so for a total of 2.4 million over the next two seasons he is risking a number of things that could cut or eliminat the gravy train forever. any significant injury he suffers this season will cut his value in at least half for next season and possibly beyond. he might not play well for whatever reason, which happens a ton when guys have a big season and get paid. one of the other guys could step up and seriously threaten his job or at least prove hes replaceable in this defense. and of course he faces the whole situation again next season if no deal is reached and the bills decide to tag him again

i really dont get why byrd is holding the line here. he has little to gain except bragging rights when compared to all that hes risking. idk if its him or his agent but it just seems like a bad move to me

That's why I said IF he stayed healthy under that scenario. Of course if he didn't then he would lose out. He will get 6.9 million this season and 8.6 million next season for a total of around 15.5 million. I agree if the contract was similar to Goldson then he should've taken it. We have no idea what was offered though and can only guess.

We don't know what the Bills offered him but say they offered him a contract similar to Goldson. He received 22 million guaranteed over a 3 year period and 41 million over 5 years if he receives the full amount. If Byrd signed a 3 year contract for 9 million a year after his tags were done then he would get 42.5 million over that 5 year span.

Salaries will be higher two years from now so if he's playing at that same level then he could end up making a couple extra million dollars or more under this scenario. That doesn't sound like much in the grand scheme of things but two million is two million. Factor in investments over the years and that 2 million could end up being 10 million.

We have no idea if the Bills only offered him 7 million a year like the tag was or how much in guaranteed money. If they did give him a contract similar to Goldson he was totally crazy to risk it and not to take it unless he flat out doesn't want to be here. If that's the case then tag and trade him next season and get something for him.

[Meathead]

sure would be nice to know whats really going on but we will likely never find out. seems kinda crazy they couldnt come to terms, must be something going on

[feldspar]

Byrd is kind of playing with fire here. He's essentially playing for his big contract this year...if he doesn't perform well, his stock will go down. It's really that simple. If he doesn't know the defense, he will obviously not be in the best position to succeed and therefore get paid, if that's all he cares about. In the process, the team may suffer as well. So it's kind of a dangerous game he is playing regardless of the particulars of whatever disagreement.

The Bills are giving him almost $7 million this year, for Christ's sake...that ain't peanuts. The guy needs to get his ass to camp sooner rather than later. The situation is not going to change before he does. Yeah, he doesn't HAVE to show up, but it's in everybody's best interests if he does. He's stupid if he doesn't show up at some point.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

BYRD HAS NO LEVERAGE. we can franchise him for two years and afford to do it. we also have a talented replacement with aaron Williams and we drafted two safeties, again no leverage. at this point I just want to trade him.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Byrd is kind of playing with fire here. He's essentially playing for his big contract this year...if he doesn't perform well, his stock will go down. It's really that simple. If he doesn't know the defense, he will obviously not be in the best position to succeed and therefore get paid, if that's all he cares about. In the process, the team may suffer as well. So it's kind of a dangerous game he is playing regardless of the particulars of whatever disagreement.

The Bills are giving him almost $7 million this year, for Christ's sake...that ain't peanuts. The guy needs to get his ass to camp sooner rather than later. The situation is not going to change before he does. Yeah, he doesn't HAVE to show up, but it's in everybody's best interests if he does. He's stupid if he doesn't show up at some point.

Ever heard of Brent Grimes? That's why Byrd is sitting.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Ever heard of Brent Grimes? That's why Byrd is sitting.

Question, if he holds out to week 10, can the bills keep him in limbo so he wont be allowed to gain a year? I would imagine they cant

[feldspar]

Ever heard of Brent Grimes? That's why Byrd is sitting.

Because he doesn't want to get hurt? I don't think that Grimes got hurt in camp and he's currently making good money, but I'll buy that explanation to a certain extent. But you can't even practice in pads that much anymore regardless, and you want a team player...not a guy that is motivated out of fear (or strictly money). Byrd STILL needs to show up to camp at some point if he doesn't want to jeopardize his season, which would in turn jeopardize his immediate earning potential as well...not to mention the team's success this year. I understand that it's not uncommon for franchized guys to sit for a while, but it's a little more important to show up when the defense your team runs is totally overhauled.

[feldspar]

Question, if he holds out to week 10, can the bills keep him in limbo so he wont be allowed to gain a year? I would imagine they cant

Yes they can and will.

If Byrd doesn't show up by November 12th, he will not have gained an accrued season toward future free agency. He will also not be eligible to play for the remainder of the year. He wouldn't be collecting any checks this year, either. The year would be a complete wash with no ground gained. Remember that he's not under contract. That's why this won't happen...

[better days]

Ever heard of Brent Grimes? That's why Byrd is sitting.

Brent Grimes is EXACTLY why Byrd should have signed the contract the Bills offered.

Grimes tore his achilles the FIRST game of 2012.

Grimes signed a ONE YEAR contract with the Fins at age 30 & coming off that injury.

Sounds like the future of Byrd to me.

Since Byrd did not sign the contract the Bills offered him, he has NO SECURITY in case of an injury like that beyond the guarantee of the one year tag.

Byrd is MUCH more likely to suffer an injury like Grimes did if he does not get in shape during training camp.

The best thing Byrd can do for himself now is to go to camp on time, get in shape & learn the Bills new defense.

[jamze132]

I wouldn't blame Byrd for all of this, just some. His stupid ass agent Eugene Parker advises all of his clients to negotiate like this.

When Byrd eventually does sign his tender though, I would bench him for a while. It's not like we're going to win anyways.

And it's hard to be a Pro Bowl and Hall of Fame player when you don't play because you have a douche agent. I would let the years tick away with Byrd on the bench. and I would tag his ass next year too and again bench him if he holds out. Maybe at that point he would fire his stupid ass agent for costing him two years of his career. Yeah his pockets will be lines, but so what? We're losing with or without Byrd and he's getting paid the same.

[GingerP]

If Byrd doesn't show up by November 12th, he will not have gained an accrued season toward future free agency. He will also not be eligible to play for the remainder of the year. He wouldn't be collecting any checks this year, either. The year would be a complete wash with no ground gained. Remember that he's not under contract. That's why this won't happen...

That is correct, he has to show up for the last 6 games to get credit for a season. Technically, he has to be on the roster for 3 games, but the team has a right to exempt him from the roster for 3 games if he were to show late. So he has be be here with at least 6 games remaining.

However, he doesn't need that year to reach free agency, he already has 4 years in the NFL. Even if he were to sit out the year, the Bills would need to franchise him again or he will be a free agent.

It is moot, anyway. He will hold out of camp and show up before the season. He isn't going to walk away from the money he would earn from the tag. I don't blame him for sitting out camp, he shouldn't take the injury risk until he gets a long-term deal.

It is laughable that people think not showing up will somehow hurt him. Yeah, he may take some time to get into the defense and get back into game shape, but the Bills are going to put him back out there once he does. He is one of their best players, and there is too much pressure to win in the NFL to have a good player sit for spite. At the end of the day, there is 4 years of film showing he is a very good player, so it isn't like other teams aren't going to want him. His big risk is injury, and he is trying to minimize that by sitting out camp.

[GingerP]

Brent Grimes is EXACTLY why Byrd should have signed the contract the Bills offered.

Grimes tore his achilles the FIRST game of 2012.

Grimes signed a ONE YEAR contract with the Fins at age 30 & coming off that injury.

Sounds like the future of Byrd to me.

Since Byrd did not sign the contract the Bills offered him, he has NO SECURITY in case of an injury like that beyond the guarantee of the one year tag.

You are thinking from the team perspective. It makes no sense for him to risk injury and show up for camp without a long-term deal. Grimes did that, and still got hurt. His only leverage is not signing and keeping his services from the team. He still has something to negotiate for, which is the franchise prohibition for next year. It is in the team's interest that he show up as soon as possible.

The risk he is taking is injury, but they sell insurance for that sort of thing. He can purchase insurance in the instance an injury keeps him from getting his big payday, which helps mitigate his risk.

You are personalizing it too much. This is a contract negotiation. Byrd is a very good player and wants to be paid as such. The Bills don't want to pay him that much. We don't know numbers, but we know that is true. This isn't personal, it is just a contract negotiation.

It is silly to say Byrd should just take whatever the team offers. The fact is the NFL is a cold business, and players like Byrd usually only get one shot at the big contract that allows them the kind of security they work for. Players in the NFL are fungible assets, they are used up to tossed aside. They need to make what they can while they are good enough to play, because that how the league works. If he is injured, the team is not going to waste any time getting rid of him. Just ask Grimes.

[Jan Reimers]

There is plenty of blame to go around in this situation, from Byrd, to Parker, to the Bills' FO.

I only know that our last playoff season was a millennium and 3 Presidents ago, and I ain't getting any younger.

We have the cap space and Byrd is our best defensive player, so sign the guy already. I'd love to see just one more playoff game before I'm sitting glassy eyed, drooling in my mashed potatoes.

[TacklingDummy]

When Byrd moves on from Buffalo I hope Byrd has a stellar career like Jason Peters.

[better days]

You are thinking from the team perspective. It makes no sense for him to risk injury and show up for camp without a long-term deal. Grimes did that, and still got hurt. His only leverage is not signing and keeping his services from the team. He still has something to negotiate for, which is the franchise prohibition for next year. It is in the team's interest that he show up as soon as possible.

The risk he is taking is injury, but they sell insurance for that sort of thing. He can purchase insurance in the instance an injury keeps him from getting his big payday, which helps mitigate his risk.

You are personalizing it too much. This is a contract negotiation. Byrd is a very good player and wants to be paid as such. The Bills don't want to pay him that much. We don't know numbers, but we know that is true. This isn't personal, it is just a contract negotiation.

It is silly to say Byrd should just take whatever the team offers. The fact is the NFL is a cold business, and players like Byrd usually only get one shot at the big contract that allows them the kind of security they work for. Players in the NFL are fungible assets, they are used up to tossed aside. They need to make what they can while they are good enough to play, because that how the league works. If he is injured, the team is not going to waste any time getting rid of him. Just ask Grimes.

Yeah ask Grimes. If Byrd signed the long term contract the Bills offered, he would have made a lot of money & had the security of that contract.

As it is, he has no choice but to play on a one year contract & he is MUCH more likely to suffer the kind of injury that Grimes did by sitting out & starting the season whenever that is for him out of shape.

We don't know numbers, but we do know the tag is for almost $7 Million. I doubt the long term contract would have been for any less than that per year factoring in the guaranteed bonus money.

At this point, that is all moot. Byrd is hurting only himself by holding out now.

[justasportsfan]

Even if he isn't ready right away, he will eventually be in there. He is one of their best players, and they are going to get him ready as soon as they can because they want to win games. They aren't going to make themselves a worse team just to spite him.


If eventually means he earned the starting spot, I'm okay with that. I don't think Marrone is in the business of spiting any player, but he's not in the business of handing anyone a starting job either. That means Mario , Byrd and everyone on this team. He's stated that everyone has to compete for their spot.

[GingerP]

If eventually means he earned the starting spot, I'm okay with that. I don't think Marrone is in the business of spiting any player, but he's not in the business of handing anyone a starting job either. That means Mario , Byrd and everyone on this team. He's stated that everyone has to compete for their spot.

Byrd has already proven he is one of the best S in the NFL. That isn't really the argument. You can argue all you want about "earning his spot", but the guy is one of the top players at his position. The Bills believe that as well, or they would not have franchised him.

Unless you think the Bills have 2 other guys that among the top safeties in the NFL, he really doesn't have to worry about being benched. The Bills are going to play him as soon as he is ready. Even if they did decide to spite him and make themselves a worse team by putting him on the bench, there is already 4 years of film in the can that shows what he can do. When he is a free agent, he will be in demand because teams already know he is a good player. The only thing that could hurt that is injury, and he can buy insurance to protect himself in that regard.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Question, if he holds out to week 10, can the bills keep him in limbo so he wont be allowed to gain a year? I would imagine they cant

No, the Bills have played their hand. If Byrd waits until week 10 and signs, then he's a Bill for the rest of that year. They can't force him to miss the year.


Because he doesn't want to get hurt? I don't think that Grimes got hurt in camp and he's currently making good money, but I'll buy that explanation to a certain extent. But you can't even practice in pads that much anymore regardless, and you want a team player...not a guy that is motivated out of fear (or strictly money). Byrd STILL needs to show up to camp at some point if he doesn't want to jeopardize his season, which would in turn jeopardize his immediate earning potential as well...not to mention the team's success this year. I understand that it's not uncommon for franchized guys to sit for a while, but it's a little more important to show up when the defense your team runs is totally overhauled.

He cast around for a long time before the Dolphins would offer him a 1 year 5 Million dollar deal, far less than he would have gotten on the open market in the previous year without the blown ACL.


Brent Grimes is EXACTLY why Byrd should have signed the contract the Bills offered.

Grimes tore his achilles the FIRST game of 2012.

Grimes signed a ONE YEAR contract with the Fins at age 30 & coming off that injury.

Sounds like the future of Byrd to me.

Since Byrd did not sign the contract the Bills offered him, he has NO SECURITY in case of an injury like that beyond the guarantee of the one year tag.

Byrd is MUCH more likely to suffer an injury like Grimes did if he does not get in shape during training camp.

The best thing Byrd can do for himself now is to go to camp on time, get in shape & learn the Bills new defense.

No, Byrd won't sign a lowball offer just to protect himself. If he wants to play this hardl, he'll sit until week 10, sign the tender, play defensively to protect himself, and then watch the Bills let him walk for nothing next offseason. There's no way the Bills are going to tag him twice and tie up 8+ million in cap room the second year (and tie up the tag itself) if Byrd takes the nuclear option.

[GingerP]

Yeah ask Grimes. If Byrd signed the long term contract the Bills offered, he would have made a lot of money & had the security of that contract.

As it is, he has no choice but to play on a one year contract & he is MUCH more likely to suffer the kind of injury that Grimes did by sitting out & starting the season whenever that is for him out of shape.

We don't know numbers, but we do know the tag is for almost $7 Million. I doubt the long term contract would have been for any less than that per year factoring in the guaranteed bonus money.

At this point, that is all moot. Byrd is hurting only himself by holding out now.

First of all, he isn't holding out. He doesn't have a signed contract, so he can't hold out. This isn't Jason Peters, he is negotiating a new contract not refusing to play under the terms of an existing one. In this instance the Bills have exclusive rights to negotiate, but it is a negotiation all the same.

Second, he isn't hurting or helping himself. It is what it is. He isn't practicing with the team, but he also isn't exposing himself to injury. In the end, he will eventually come in and play and deal with a new contract next year.

[GingerP]

No, Byrd won't sign a lowball offer just to protect himself. If he wants to play this hardl, he'll sit until week 10, sign the tender, play defensively to protect himself, and then watch the Bills let him walk for nothing next offseason. There's no way the Bills are going to tag him twice and tie up 8+ million in cap room the second year (and tie up the tag itself) if Byrd takes the nuclear option.

I doubt it comes to that. If he misses games he will never recover that money, and it is millions of dollars. He'll show up once he starts getting paid.

He just isn't going to show up for camp. He doesn't have to, because he doesn't have a contract agreement, and it isn't worth the extra risk of injury in practice if he isn't getting paid.

[kishoph]

In the end, Byrd has 4 years of film showing how good a player he is, nothing he does this year is going to make his value change by much. The only thing that really could hurt him is a serious injury, which is why he is sitting out and why he prefers a long-term deal.

Out of those 4 years, 2 were good, 1 was average and 1 was below average, everything he does is going to affect how he gets paid next year and he's off to a bad start. If he continues to sit out, it will not look good when he tries to get a new contract, with the Bills or any other team. As far as an injury, I think he has a better chance of getting injured should he miss camp, then try to go full speed once the season gets here. It doesn't matter if he is hurt in camp or the season, if he sings the tender he'll get paid if he is injured. His only option now is to sign the tender the Bills offered, it's too late to try and work out a long term deal, he'll have to wait till the season is over.

[justasportsfan]

Byrd has already proven he is one of the best S in the NFL. That isn't really the argument. You can argue all you want about "earning his spot", but the guy is one of the top players at his position. The Bills believe that as well, or they would not have franchised him.

Unless you think the Bills have 2 other guys that among the top safeties in the NFL, he really doesn't have to worry about being benched. The Bills are going to play him as soon as he is ready. Even if they did decide to spite him and make themselves a worse team by putting him on the bench, there is already 4 years of film in the can that shows what he can do. When he is a free agent, he will be in demand because teams already know he is a good player. The only thing that could hurt that is injury, and he can buy insurance to protect himself in that regard.

I agree, he's one of the best . I am not arguing that . But he needs to know his playbook . It's a team sport.

[Night Train]

Perspective.

Steve Johnson got 35-36 Mil total for 5 years. Byrd wants 9-13 Mil more for that same 5 years.

[Mr. Pink]

Why would anyone want to blame Byrd?

He plays in a sport where guys careers are over in the flash of an eye. He wants big guaranteed money in case that happens.

The sport dictates that top players get that money.

He's earned it.

Any one of us, if in his shoes, would be doing the exact same thing.

[better days]

Why would anyone want to blame Byrd?

He plays in a sport where guys careers are over in the flash of an eye. He wants big guaranteed money in case that happens.

The sport dictates that top players get that money.

He's earned it.

Any one of us, if in his shoes, would be doing the exact same thing.

I don't blame Byrd one bit.

I put all the blame for this fiasco on his agent.

[Mr. Pink]

I don't blame Byrd one bit.

I put all the blame for this fiasco on his agent.

Why blame his agent? He knows the market value for the client he represents and it's in his and his client's best interests to get it.

There is only one place to lay blame, the Bills front office for not paying someone who is actually worth a big contract.

Instead we give out big contracts to guys like Fitzdouche, Mario Williams and Lee Evans. I'd expect within 2-3 seasons, we'll be cutting ties with Mario like we did with Fitz and Lee too.

[Night Train]

Why blame his agent? He knows the market value for the client he represents and it's in his and his client's best interests to get it.

There is only one place to lay blame, the Bills front office for not paying someone who is actually worth a big contract.

Instead we give out big contracts to guys like Fitzdouche, Mario Williams and Lee Evans. I'd expect within 2-3 seasons, we'll be cutting ties with Mario like we did with Fitz and Lee too.

So we should have paid Levitre 26 Mil for the next 2 years, like the Titans are foolishly doing ? (just pay him !)

[Mr. Pink]

So we should have paid Levitre 26 Mil for the next 2 years, like the Titans are foolishly doing ? (just pay him !)

Considering we didn't spend the money, well...anywhere...

Absolutely.

We have all sorts of cap space and the only place the money is going is into Ralphie Boy's pockets instead of where it should be going...on the field.

[kishoph]

Why blame his agent? He knows the market value for the client he represents and it's in his and his client's best interests to get it.

There is only one place to lay blame, the Bills front office for not paying someone who is actually worth a big contract.

.

Obviously he doesn't know the market value for his client, otherwise he would be signed. Asking to make Byrd the highest paid safety was foolish and now Byrd is the one that will have to pay for it. The Bills were willing to give him a big contract, just not a ridiculous one.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Obviously he doesn't know the market value for his client, otherwise he would be signed. Asking to make Byrd the highest paid safety was foolish and now Byrd is the one that will have to pay for it. The Bills were willing to give him a big contract, just not a ridiculous one.

This isn't his market value, because he hasn't been able to test the market. The Bills are trying to leverage him into taking less.

[Mr. Pink]

Obviously he doesn't know the market value for his client, otherwise he would be signed. Asking to make Byrd the highest paid safety was foolish and now Byrd is the one that will have to pay for it. The Bills were willing to give him a big contract, just not a ridiculous one.

When Byrd enters the market and ends up being the highest paid safety in the NFL on someone else's team maybe you'll realize how ridiculous your above statement is.

[better days]

[QUOTE=IlluminatusUIUC;3820539]This isn't his market value, because he hasn't been able to test the market. The Bills are trying to leverage him into taking less.[/QUOTE

The Bills are trying to leverage him. Well, DUH!

Byrd is NOT a FA & may not be a FA until at least 2015.

The Bills offered him fair market value of a player that is NOT & WILL NOT be a FA.

[better days]

When Byrd enters the market and ends up being the highest paid safety in the NFL on someone else's team maybe you'll realize how ridiculous your above statement is.

And WHEN do you expect that to happen?

The Bills hold the rights to Byrd & can continue to hold his rights next year if they like.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

The Bills are trying to leverage him. Well, DUH!

Byrd is NOT a FA & may not be a FA until at least 2015.

The Bills offered him fair market value of a player that is NOT & WILL NOT be a FA.

That's not what "fair market value" means.

[Mr. Pink]

And WHEN do you expect that to happen?

The Bills hold the rights to Byrd & can continue to hold his rights next year if they like.

Well I expected the Bills to realize his value, discount it a little bit because he's well, here. That way we lock up a guy who's top 3 in the NFL at his position and in his prime for the next 5-7 years. Discounting it a little isn't thinking 6.5-7 a year which some people here seem to think, by doing that you're just slapping a guy in the face to the point where he and his agent are no longer willing to move on their demands.

Byrd absolutely should have been given a contract worth between 8.5 and 9m a season.

But don't worry when we either trade him next offseason or he leaves the following offseason to another team who'll give him around 10m a year, you can sit and cry that we have a huge void at FS that we need to fill.

[GingerP]

So we should have paid Levitre 26 Mil for the next 2 years, like the Titans are foolishly doing ? (just pay him !)

Levitre earns $19.5M over the first 2 years of his new deal. He earns $25.5M over the first 3 years. He received a $10.5M signing bonus and $13M in total guaranteed money. I'd agree that is rich for him.

In the end, the Bills probably should look to lock up their good, young players before they get to the point of reaching free agency. It isn't that they can be criticized for not paying Levitre that kind of money, it is that they should try to lock guys like Levitre and Byrd before the ends of their deals so they can keep their good players and build a core.

[BertSquirtgum]

No surprise here. Eugene park is a scuz and Byrd must be a greedy scumbag for hiring him as his agent. Everybody keeps talking about how Byrd is never hurt but he's missed a bunch of games with a pulled groin. If I remember correctly he missed two or three games last year with a pulled groin.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/bills/2010-08-18-jairus-byrd-injury_N.htm?csp=34sports&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomNfl-TopStories+%28Sports+-+NFL+-+Top+Stories%29

[GingerP]

Everybody keeps talking about how Byrd is never hurt but he's missed a bunch of games with a pulled groin. If I remember correctly he missed two or three games last year with a pulled groin.

The only games he has missed in his career were 2 games he was out during his rookie season.

[BertSquirtgum]

The only games he has missed in his career were 2 games he was out during his rookie season.

Incorrect.

[GingerP]

Incorrect.

Here is his bio on the Bills website:

http://www.buffalobills.com/team/roster/jairus-byrd/48488e58-c1d9-49f9-9b3d-557c6380565f/

It shows the only games he has missed were 2 in his rookie season.

[better days]

That's not what "fair market value" means.

When I say fair market value, I am comparing Byrd to other players in the same position he is in.

Players that are NOT Free Agents & have their rights held by the team that drafted them.

It may not be true fair market value, but it is what a player that is not a FA should expect. The Bills did not lowball Byrd like the Pats* did to Welker.

Teams are able to tag a player of their choosing. And the Players signed off on that.

[PromoTheRobot]

Why would a player sign early for less? If it's obvious they are that good why sign early? I guess what you are asking for is to know a player is good BEFORE they realize it. Easy-peezy.

PTR

[kishoph]

When Byrd enters the market and ends up being the highest paid safety in the NFL on someone else's team maybe you'll realize how ridiculous your above statement is.



And pigs will fly.

[kishoph]

Well I expected the Bills to realize his value, discount it a little bit because he's well, here. That way we lock up a guy who's top 3 in the NFL at his position and in his prime for the next 5-7 years. Discounting it a little isn't thinking 6.5-7 a year which some people here seem to think, by doing that you're just slapping a guy in the face to the point where he and his agent are no longer willing to move on their demands.

Byrd absolutely should have been given a contract worth between 8.5 and 9m a season.



Bryd is demanding to be the highest paid safety, which would be close to $10 Million per, not $8.5.

[GingerP]

Why would a player sign early for less? If it's obvious they are that good why sign early? I guess what you are asking for is to know a player is good BEFORE they realize it. Easy-peezy.

A year ago Byrd was looking at playing out the last year of his contract for $640K. That gives the team bargaining power, since the player can trade the risk of playing for a relatively low amount of money for up-front security of a new deal. Here we are later, and he is looking at playing on a 1-year deal for $6.9M. That is a much higher number to negotiate off of.

When the team signs a player before they reach the ends of their rookie deals, they get better contracts. The team is accepting more risk because they are paying up front a year early, but they get to keep a core player at a cheaper rate. It happens all the time in the NFL, the smart teams lock up good players before they reach free agent status, which is why you don't see as many good players in free agency.

[stuckincincy]

A year ago Byrd was looking at playing out the last year of his contract for $640K. That gives the team bargaining power, since the player can trade the risk of playing for a relatively low amount of money for up-front security of a new deal. Here we are later, and he is looking at playing on a 1-year deal for $6.9M. That is a much higher number to negotiate off of.

When the team signs a player before they reach the ends of their rookie deals, they get better contracts. The team is accepting more risk because they are paying up front a year early, but they get to keep a core player at a cheaper rate. It happens all the time in the NFL, the smart teams lock up good players before they reach free agent status, which is why you don't see as many good players in free agency.

Yep.

CIN's done that for the past several years - Palmer, C Johnson, A. Whitworth and others. Knowing that tagged DE Michael Johnson will leave after this season, they sewed up DE Carlos Dunlap, and drafted DE Margus Hunt in the second round. They're now working on contracts for AJ Green, Dalton, and Atkins.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Maclin and Pitta both out for the year, in the first week of TC, in their contract years.

D'oh