The Byrd man is back

[BillsFever21]

This guy is coming back into his groove now that he's 6 games into his season. He now already has 3 INT's in the past two weeks along with a sack and great coverage. He is literaly the only guy who made a play last week.

The Bills and the haters who said he needed to "prove it" after 4 years of good play can cry next year when we don't have him. The only hate was because the guy wanted paid. When we lose him next year we will miss him dearly.

[Novacane]

I hope he keeps playing like this. Then they can tag him again and at worst get a 2nd round pick for him

[BillsFever21]

The hell with a lousy 2nd round pick when you have a playmaker like Byrd. He's the type of player that you keep. Sure the draft pick would be better then nothing but are you going to get a better player then Byrd in the 2nd round? Highly unlikely scenario there.

Instead of paying our good players lets hope that we can get a draft pick out of them instead. That's why this team will be going on their 14th season without a playoff game and only one winning season during that span.

[imbondz]

it drives me crazy.

[JoeMama]

Chirp chirp said the byrd as it flew away with two worms...

This one would look good in a Bills uniform another 4-5 years.

[Novacane]

The hell with a lousy 2nd round pick when you have a playmaker like Byrd. He's the type of player that you keep. Sure the draft pick would be better then nothing but are you going to get a better player then Byrd in the 2nd round? Highly unlikely scenario there.

Instead of paying our good players lets hope that we can get a draft pick out of them instead. That's why this team will be going on their 14th season without a playoff game and only one winning season during that span.



I don't expect the Bills to pay up. I'm just glad he's playing well so they can get something for him.

[Scumbag College]

The defensive backfield is so much better with him in there and 100% healthy. If Gilmore can get back to where he was last year, the emergence of Robey and Searcy, and McKelvin playing solid that defense would be formidable come 2014 if Byrd sticks around.

[Mr. Pink]

Anyone still doubt he shoulda been paid 9M per?

He's gonna get big money from someone next year.

[Mr. Cynical]

I hope he keeps playing like this. Then they can tag him again and at worst get a 2nd round pick for him

It was one game against a rookie getting crushed, but I agree. If he continues to play well his value just keeps rising.

[kingJofNYC]

Unreal that he's going to be on another team next season.

[BillsFever21]

Anyone still doubt he shoulda been paid 9M per?

He's gonna get big money from someone next year.

Of course not because that money needs to be used on X, Y and Z player a couple years from now. Then some other players we drafted this year and will draft next year :rolleyes:

At the very worse we have the extra cap room for Ralph's wallet and it looks so enticing while starting at the amount. Even if we did re-sign him after this year we already wasted almost 7 million this year that could've went towards his 20 million or so in guaranteed money for the contract he would've signed his season.

[BillsFever21]

It was one game against a rookie getting crushed, but I agree. If he continues to play well his value just keeps rising.

It's more then one good game against Geno Smith. He isn't a rookie in his 5th game. It's 5 good years of football and making plays and creating turnovers. Even with 3 different DC's and defensive systems he just keeps performing in each one. But hey it's only one game...

[Novacane]

Anyone still doubt he shoulda been paid 9M per?

He's gonna get big money from someone next year.




I'm still glad they tagged him. Today was his first big game of the year.

[Novacane]

Of course not because that money needs to be used on X, Y and Z player a couple years from now. Then some other players we drafted this year and will draft next year :rolleyes:

At the very worse we have the extra cap room for Ralph's wallet and it looks so enticing while starting at the amount. Even if we did re-sign him after this year we already wasted almost 7 million this year that could've went towards his 20 million or so in guaranteed money for the contract he would've signed his season.

That's a fair point. I don't think Byrd has proved he's worth being the top paid safety yet but if the moneys not going to be spent elsewhere I'm fine with paying him.

[Fixxxer]

We need to keep this guy.

[Mr. Pink]

That's a fair point. I don't think Byrd has proved he's worth being the top paid safety yet but if the moneys not going to be spent elsewhere I'm fine with paying him.

He's proved he's a top 3 safety in the NFL not just because of today but because of his entire career.

Those guys who are near the top of their position end up getting paid. And paid very well.

[kingJofNYC]

A.Williams has been doing a good job at SS, what better way to teach a young guy by having a veteran like Byrd lining up next to him.

****ing this franchise if they don't keep Byrd around.

[stuckincincy]

The hell with a lousy 2nd round pick when you have a playmaker like Byrd. He's the type of player that you keep. Sure the draft pick would be better then nothing but are you going to get a better player then Byrd in the 2nd round? Highly unlikely scenario there.

Instead of paying our good players lets hope that we can get a draft pick out of them instead. That's why this team will be going on their 14th season without a playoff game and only one winning season during that span.

He's a tough sell if you want a high pick for him. You have to find a trade partner who can afford a center fielder. I think BUF has done an exemplary job maximizing his skills.

He's not a safety that darts to the LOS to confuse an OL, or knifes to the sidelines to stop a rb or a quick out from getting a 1st down. I understand that that's not what the various BUF regimes asked of him. Still - 2 sacks after 4 and a half years...I'd expect more than that. A bit of after-snap initiative and recognition for an opportunity to disrupt a qb, instead of angling for a carom or outright pick would have been welcome throughout his tenure.

AFAIK, his agent got no bites for his services that beat the franchise tag number - and that was before the revelation of the foot problems.


He's a very good player. But I don't think he brings as much run support, enough versatility to the table that can justify his money demands. I'd let him go and use the cap money on alternatives. :duel:

[BillsImpossible]

This is easy. Byrd wants $9 million a season. Stevie Johnson is scheduled to make over $8 million next year. Bills have plenty of cap space.

Let Johnson go, sign Byrd.

[stuckincincy]

This is easy. Byrd wants $9 million a season. Stevie Johnson is scheduled to make over $8 million next year. Bills have plenty of cap space.

Let Johnson go, sign Byrd.

Thanks for your deep, insightful analysis.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

He's a tough sell if you want a high pick for him. You have to find a trade partner who can afford a center fielder. I think BUF has done an exemplary job maximizing his skills.

He's not a safety that darts to the LOS to confuse an OL, or knifes to the sidelines to stop a rb or a quick out from getting a 1st down. I understand that that's not what the various BUF regimes asked of him. Still - 2 sacks after 4 and a half years...I'd expect more than that. A bit of after-snap initiative and recognition for an opportunity to disrupt a qb, instead of angling for a carom or outright pick would have been welcome throughout his tenure.

AFAIK, his agent got no bites for his services that beat the franchise tag number - and that was before the revelation of the foot problems.


He's a very good player. But I don't think he brings as much run support, enough versatility to the table that can justify his money demands. I'd let him go and use the cap money on alternatives. :duel:

You said it yourself, he's a center fielder. He plays deep. While your run support concerns have merit, grading a free safety by his sack total is completely asinine. By comparison, Ed Reed has 6 for his entire career and 2 since 2005. Earl Thomas hasn't registered one yet.

[BillsImpossible]

Thanks for your deep, insightful analysis.

You're welcome!

Pretty easy. Robert Woods, Marquice Goodwin and TJ Graham all have better upside than Stevie Johnson does.

We all know what Stevie can do. He can't run fast enough to catch touchdown passes like Graham and Goodwin caught today.

A team can not pay a slot receiver $8.5 million and let go of a player like Jairus Byrd.

[The Jokeman]

You're welcome!

Pretty easy. Robert Woods, Marquice Goodwin and TJ Graham all have better upside than Stevie Johnson does.

We all know what Stevie can do. He can't run fast enough to catch touchdown passes like Graham and Goodwin caught today.

A team can not pay a slot receiver $8.5 million and let go of a player like Jairus Byrd.

According to: http://overthecap.com/teamcap.php?Team=Bills&Year=2014 if we cut Stevie we end up saving $25k. Not a good plan, we have more than enough cap space to keep Stevie and Byrd and am all for it.

[jdaltroy5]

You're welcome!

Pretty easy. Robert Woods, Marquice Goodwin and TJ Graham all have better upside than Stevie Johnson does.

We all know what Stevie can do. He can't run fast enough to catch touchdown passes like Graham and Goodwin caught today.

A team can not pay a slot receiver $8.5 million and let go of a player like Jairus Byrd.Good teams have 3-4 good WRs.

There is absolutely no reason to cut Stevie.

Goodwin and Graham had good games today, but they've never had 1000 yard seasons, 70+ catches, or 10 TDs.

Stevie was also leading the team in every receiving category this year.

Cutting him makes zero sense.

[BillsFever21]

Stevie isn't going anywhere next year. The only way he would is if Ralph wants to save some money on his salary because it wouldn't make a difference with our cap. Might not even make a difference in salary either since the first few years were guaranteed for the most part.

[BillsImpossible]

According to: http://overthecap.com/teamcap.php?Team=Bills&Year=2014 if we cut Stevie we end up saving $25k. Not a good plan, we have more than enough cap space to keep Stevie and Byrd and am all for it.

I understand it's not about the cap space, the Bills can afford both players. But it does not make sense to pay a slot WR $8.5 million. Stevie has been playing in the slot a lot this season.

There was a logjam at the WR position and it didn't open up until today.

[BillsImpossible]

Stevie isn't going anywhere next year. The only way he would is if Ralph wants to save some money on his salary because it wouldn't make a difference with our cap. Might not even make a difference in salary either since the first few years were guaranteed for the most part.

It's not about the cap. It's about freeing up the logjam at the WR position in order to make the offense better with younger, faster wide receivers.

[jdaltroy5]

I understand it's not about the cap space, the Bills can afford both players. But it does not make sense to pay a slot WR $8.5 million. Stevie has been playing in the slot a lot this season.

There was a logjam at the WR position and it didn't open up until today.
I don't understand this premise at all.

Why can't you pay a slot WR 8.5 million?

[stuckincincy]

You said it yourself, he's a center fielder. He plays deep. While your run support concerns have merit, grading a free safety by his sack total is completely asinine. By comparison, Ed Reed has 6 for his entire career and 2 since 2005. Earl Thomas hasn't registered one yet.

OK. Wipe out the sacks.

Byrd and his agent went out to the market and no one bit. Not a lot of interest in a fellow who is essentially a roving corner back, I suppose.

I'm interested in your opinion - and I won't call your opinions asinine - about his claimed injury, his plantar fascitis, that (conveniently) served him to sit out several games, possibly conserving his body for the bidders next season.

Personally, I think he's a very good within limits, is not an all-around safety, who is schematically featured on a weaker club that needed to have a *star* on defense to spin the turnstiles.

If BUF chooses to tie up a bundle for his services next season - that's their choice. Neither you or I own an NFL club, but if I did, he's not my free safety for that much $$$. YMMV.

[Mr. Pink]

It's not about the cap. It's about freeing up the logjam at the WR position in order to make the offense better with younger, faster wide receivers.

So does that mean Woods should be traded too?

After all if he was healthy this week, Hogan wouldn't have had 3 catches. And Hogan emerged today!

:rofl:

[jdaltroy5]

OK. Wipe out the sacks.

Byrd and his agent went out to the market and no one bit. Not a lot of interest in a fellow who is essentially a roving corner back, I suppose.

I'm interested in your opinion - and I won't call your opinions asinine - about his claimed injury, his plantar fascitis, that (conveniently) served him to sit out several games, possibly conserving his body for the bidders next season.

Personally, I think he's a very good within limits, is not an all-around safety, who is schematically featured on a weaker club that needed to have a *star* on defense to spin the turnstiles.

If BUF chooses to tie up a bundle for his services next season - that's their choice. Neither you or I own an NFL club, but if I did, he's not my free safety for that much $$$. YMMV.
Hold on, when did Byrd go out to the market?

[Mr. Pink]

OK. Wipe out the sacks.

Byrd and his agent went out to the market and no one bit. Not a lot of interest in a fellow who is essentially a roving corner back, I suppose.

I'm interested in your opinion - and I won't call your opinions asinine - about his claimed injury, his plantar fascitis, that (conveniently) served him to sit out several games, possibly conserving his body for the bidders next season.

Personally, I think he's a very good within limits, is not an all-around safety, who is schematically featured on a weaker club that needed to have a *star* on defense to spin the turnstiles.

If BUF chooses to tie up a bundle for his services next season - that's their choice. Neither you or I own an NFL club, but if I did, he's not my free safety for that much $$$. YMMV.

No one is gonna offer value for what is essentially a rental player.

That is what Byrd would have been if traded at the deadline.

Has nothing to do with how the league views his talent.

[BillsFever21]

No team was going to give up two 1st round picks for any player outside of a QB if they signed him away from the Bills and the franchise tag. As far as the deadline goes there wasn't enough value to make it worth it. If Byrd was on the open market tomorrow somebody would sign him to a big contract.

[stuckincincy]

No one is gonna offer value for what is essentially a rental player.

That is what Byrd would have been if traded at the deadline.

Has nothing to do with how the league views his talent.

Well, sure - not this year, since he had to ink the tender after his agent couldn't rustle up any live bodies to bite on a fat contract.

The way the league viewed his talent this season...was that he was not worth top 5 safety money, because if his agent has any brains, he for sure marketed him before BUF tagged him - all teams knew his contract was expiring. You dicker for a player with an expiring contract well in advance of any deadline.

Again - nobody bit. He's a scheme player for BUF. And good at it. If BUF feels they need to bang their cap for him, so be it.

His tenure here has been a bright star for 4 and probably 5...losing seasons. I'd prefer to use the large amount of $ he might get from BUF to see it we can get others to turn this mess around. Byrd is status quo...

[BillsImpossible]

No one is gonna offer value for what is essentially a rental player.

That is what Byrd would have been if traded at the deadline.

Has nothing to do with how the league views his talent.

How much do teams value turnovers?

Most teams that win the turnover battle win the game most of the time.
Numbers Don’t Lie: Win turnover battle and you win games (http://bigblueblitz.com/2013-new-york-giants/numbers-dont-lie-win-turnover-battle-and-you-win-games/)Statistics show that in the NFL, teams with positive turnover ratios have a significantly higher probability of winning. Over the past five full seasons, clubs with more takeaways than giveaways have a combined 810-220-2 (.786) record.

http://bigblueblitz.com/2013-new-york-giants/numbers-dont-lie-win-turnover-battle-and-you-win-games/

[Mr. Pink]

Well, sure - not this year, since he had to ink the tender after his agent couldn't rustle up any live bodies to bite on a fat contract.

The way the league viewed his talent this season...was that he was not worth top 5 safety money, because if his agent has any brains, he for sure marketed him before BUF tagged him - all teams knew his contract was expiring. You dicker for a player with an expiring contract well in advance of any deadline.

Again - nobody bit. He's a scheme player for BUF. And good at it. If BUF feels they need to bang their cap for him, so be it.

His tenure here has been a bright star for 4 and probably 5...losing seasons. I'd prefer to use the large amount of $ he might get from BUF to see it we can get others to turn this mess around. Byrd is status quo...

The Bills weren't trying to move him in the offseason.

So your point is well...null and void.

[BuffaloRedleg]

He's going to demand more money now. We really ****ed ourself on this.

[BillsFever21]

Well, sure - not this year, since he had to ink the tender after his agent couldn't rustle up any live bodies to bite on a fat contract.

The way the league viewed his talent this season...was that he was not worth top 5 safety money, because if his agent has any brains, he for sure marketed him before BUF tagged him - all teams knew his contract was expiring. You dicker for a player with an expiring contract well in advance of any deadline.

Again - nobody bit. He's a scheme player for BUF. And good at it. If BUF feels they need to bang their cap for him, so be it.

His tenure here has been a bright star for 4 and probably 5...losing seasons. I'd prefer to use the large amount of $ he might get from BUF to see it we can get others to turn this mess around. Byrd is status quo...

That's a bunch of nonsense. There is a reason why you don't see many franchise players getting traded before it comes time to sign the tag. It takes two first round picks to sign them away from their team. If the team wishes they can agree on different terms but that still involves a team probably giving up a 1st round draft pick(at least a 2nd) AND having to pay a big contract to a player.

How many players can you name in the past several years that were traded on the franchise tag? That's what I thought and there's a reason for it. Had he been on the open market he would've received at least as much as Goldston and probably more. Teams don't give away draft picks very easily to begin with let alone when they need to pay out a big contract along with it. Even less now that the rookie wage scale is in place. It makes them draft picks even more valuable.

If all his worth is being a scheme player for Buffalo then he has excelled in several different schemes under four different DC's. The definition of a scheme player is somebody who only excels in one type of system. Like many 34 outside LB's and many players in the West Coast Offense. It's not like he has been in a stable scheme his entire career. He has proven it under three different schemes, head coaches and now his 4th defensive coordinator. Seeing that he's played at a high level under 4 different DC's that's just a testament to his skills and versatility and other teams would also see that.

[BillsFever21]

He's going to demand more money now. We really ****ed ourself on this.

Unless we play great down the stretch and he falls in love with this coaching staff and defense then he's definitely gone unless we tagged him again with another 20% raise. All that would need to happen along with us finishing strong where he feels this team is going in the right direction. There was too much bad blood between the two of them to come to an agreement without one hell of a change. Winning and getting paid could solve them issues to a point.

Even IF all that happened it would still cost more to sign him next year. Each year the salaries go up and we already wasted 6.8 million dollars that could've went towards his contract this year. This front office dropped the ball by low balling him. They didn't even offer him Dashon Gholdson money when he has been better and was also two years younger.

[BillsFever21]

How much do teams value turnovers?

Most teams that win the turnover battle win the game most of the time.
Numbers Don’t Lie: Win turnover battle and you win games (http://bigblueblitz.com/2013-new-york-giants/numbers-dont-lie-win-turnover-battle-and-you-win-games/)

Statistics show that in the NFL, teams with positive turnover ratios have a significantly higher probability of winning. Over the past five full seasons, clubs with more takeaways than giveaways have a combined 810-220-2 (.786) record.

http://bigblueblitz.com/2013-new-york-giants/numbers-dont-lie-win-turnover-battle-and-you-win-games/

Not to mention three of our wins this season was mainly a direct result of turnovers.

We don't win the Ravens game without getting them for 5 turnovers. The Miami game was a loss unless Williams strips Tannehill and we also had two other INT's against him with one of them also being a pick six. The turnovers today is what put us in the drivers seat and built up our big lead.

Jairus Byrd is good in coverage and he is a turnover machine. His 5 years in the league proves that. The guy has the instincts for the ball and the hands to catch it. He has also forced many fumbles throughout his career.

You don't do all of that by accident after having 3 different HC's and 4 different DC's and defensive schemes. The guy can ball and deserved to be paid.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

OK. Wipe out the sacks.

Sure. If you wipe out the sacks his early career ranks among the all-timers.


Byrd and his agent went out to the market and no one bit. Not a lot of interest in a fellow who is essentially a roving corner back, I suppose.

As mentioned by others, Byrd never had a chance to test the market.


I'm interested in your opinion - and I won't call your opinions asinine - about his claimed injury, his plantar fascitis, that (conveniently) served him to sit out several games, possibly conserving his body for the bidders next season.

I believe he could have played through it if he was motivated to, but I believe he was playing hardball to match the Bills. I do wish he would have played, but I wish the Bills would have paid him.


Personally, I think he's a very good within limits, is not an all-around safety, who is schematically featured on a weaker club that needed to have a *star* on defense to spin the turnstiles.

He was schematically featured because he's an all-pro player. That's what you do with all-pro players.


If BUF chooses to tie up a bundle for his services next season - that's their choice. Neither you or I own an NFL club, but if I did, he's not my free safety for that much $$$. YMMV.

Ok, I can understand if you have someone else in mind for that money, but who?

[Mr. Miyagi]

If Byrd keeps this up for the remainder of the season, I say pay him.

[EDS]

If Byrd keeps this up for the remainder of the season, I say pay him.

The real issue is why wouldn't they pay him? Not to many other guys up for free agency this year and none of them should cost that much.

Given how much the NFL has shifted to a passing league, I think it may make sense to spend some coin on a playmaking center field-style safety. Perhaps not the perfect use of resources, but certaintly preferable to paying big money to a running back.

[jdaltroy5]

If Byrd keeps this up for the remainder of the season, I say pay him.
The guy has played at an elite level for 4 1/2 years now.

You're really going to use the 5 games to determine his worth?

[better days]

I saw Byrd talking to Reed after the game ended & Listening to Byrd talk after the game, I would not be surprised if he decides he wants to stay in Buffalo if the Bills offer him a fair contract.

The Bills NEED to do that.

[Crisis]

We should just start drafting all our defensive players from Oregon, apparently. Kiko/Byrd is a pretty good haul.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

This guy is coming back into his groove now that he's 6 games into his season. He now already has 3 INT's in the past two weeks along with a sack and great coverage. He is literaly the only guy who made a play last week.

The Bills and the haters who said he needed to "prove it" after 4 years of good play can cry next year when we don't have him. The only hate was because the guy wanted paid. When we lose him next year we will miss him dearly.

Optimist in me: He's a nasty lights out DB who is thriving in Pettine's system and is playing hard so we remember to sign him to a long term deal

Pessimist in me: He's playing for payday and as such is putting together a resume so he can get a team that is not Buffalo to pay him a fat contract.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

We should just start drafting all our defensive players from Oregon, apparently. Kiko/Byrd is a pretty good haul.

Despite their rep it seems like they've put out better studs on defense recently. Alonso, Byrd, Ngata, etc. Their offensive skill guys have been busts: James, Stewart, Harrington, etc

[jimmifli]

The Bills are in a tough spot now. If they do franchise him again, it makes it really difficult to do that a third time (the escalating tag makes it uneconomical). It almost guarantees that a tag becomes a final one year deal. That means the tag is worth less leverage this year than it was last year.

And so, the only way the Bills get a longterm deal done, is to make him the highest paid safety in the NFL. They weren't prepared to do that last season, so what's changed?

[Mouldsie]

The Bills are in a tough spot now. If they do franchise him again, it makes it really difficult to do that a third time (the escalating tag makes it uneconomical). It almost guarantees that a tag becomes a final one year deal. That means the tag is worth less leverage this year than it was last year.

And so, the only way the Bills get a longterm deal done, is to make him the highest paid safety in the NFL. They weren't prepared to do that last season, so what's changed?
My only hope is they were gun shy because they just wanted to see him in this D scheme and with this staff first