Sapp to Byrd: 'Go earn' contract

[MidnightVoice]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100...bills-contract


Reportedly looking to be the highest-paid safety in the NFL, Jairus Byrd failed to agree on a long-term contract with the Buffalo Bills on Monday, which might lead to ongoing contract haggling.

Soon-to-be Hall of Fame defensive tackle and NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp said on Monday's "NFL Total Access" that Byrd should stop quibbling and just go play.

"It's about what the team deems you worthy of being paid," Sapp said. "Sign your tender, go back to work and earn it like your rookie year when you came into the league and you went to the Pro Bowl. That's what you do. Whenever somebody questions your play on the football field, you go out on the football field and you show it."

Sapp said because the Bills didn't pony up the dough, Byrd must not have done enough to earn it.

"I question him because you've been there the whole time with Buffalo, and if Buffalo doesn't see you as an asset as far as their franchise player and the guy they want to put as their safety, (that says something)," Sapp continued.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Warren Sapp may not always say things you want to hear and is most of the time very brash, but he always calls it the way he sess it without sugar coating.

Love it.

Are you listening Byrd?

[Skooby]

Nobody earned their money on our defense last season, so asking for more than anyone now at any position on our defense is madness.

[Meathead]

well hes said so many dumb things its hard to just agree with him now, even tho i want to

still think byrd is crazy not to take the bills offer that had to be in the 7.5+ range. hes rolling the dice for a relatively small rate or return. its a helluva lot more likely something happens to decrease his value rather than increase it. but good luck to him

[Skooby]

well hes said so many dumb things its hard to just agree with him now, even tho i want to

still think byrd is crazy not to take the bills offer that had to be in the 7.5+ range. hes rolling the dice for a relatively small rate or return. its a helluva lot more likely something happens to decrease his value rather than increase it. but good luck to him

Personally speaking, I hope Byrd hits it out the park this season & we pay him everything he wants. He can make the Bills more successful being out there, just show up for camp early & be very eager to learn.

[Night Train]

Byrd should stop quibbling and just go play

[Mr. Pink]

He already earned it and instead of us paying him, we lowballed him.

Dashon Goldson got a 5 year 41.25m contract with 22m guaranteed.

And people are saying that Byrd should be paid less than that?

[better days]

He already earned it and instead of us paying him, we lowballed him.

Dashon Goldson got a 5 year 41.25m contract with 22m guaranteed.

And people are saying that Byrd should be paid less than that?

There is no way in HELL Byrd earned $9 Mill last season. His stats were amplified because nobody in front of him made a play. But he is NOT a $9 Mill Safety!

[Mr. Pink]

There is no way in HELL Byrd earned $9 Mill last season. His stats were amplified because nobody in front of him made a play. But he is NOT a $9 Mill Safety!

People around here are saying he's not even an 8m Safety.

Yet Goldson is?

[BertSquirtgum]

People around here are saying he's not even an 8m Safety.

Yet Goldson is?

Maybe you forgot how good San Fran's defense was. Byrd didn't do **** to make this defense look any better. He most certainly doesn't deserve a penny more than 8 million a year. Personally, I don't think he's worth more than 6 million a year. That's how overrated I think he is.

[GingerP]

In the last 4 years Byrd is responsible for 25% of the teams interceptions (18/71) and 28% of the teams forced fumbles (10/36). That is remarkable. How many players have had that kind of impact on their team?

You can talk all you want about how bad the defense has been, but they would have been a lot worse if you took away 25% plus of their turnovers. Byrd's impact is easy to measure.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Maybe you forgot how good San Fran's defense was.

Perhaps you forgot who else was on it? Goldson was - charitably - the 5th best player on that unit.

[BillsFever21]

I would think that Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith, Navarro Bowman, Justin Smith and even Whitner to an extent along with others would help play a big part in their defensive success. Not to mention a good coaching staff.

On the flipside at them same positions we had Nick Barnett, Chris Kelsay, Kelvin Sheppard, Mario Williams and George Wilson. Last time I checked one of them is still on the team this year.

Yeah I would say that's a pretty fair comparison to use for Byrd. For him to make the plays he did with all these scrubs around him his actually quite remarkable. I mean he only contributed to 25% or more of all the turnovers on this team. You could put Patrick Willis on this team and he wouldn't have made this defense good with all the other junk surrounding him and the inept coaching staff.

[BillsFever21]

Green Bay's defense was 22nd in points allowed last season. Damn the Packers were insane to give Clay Matthews all of that money. What the hell were they thinking? He wasn't good enough to make their defense any better then that.

[BertSquirtgum]

Perhaps you forgot who else was on it? Goldson was - charitably - the 5th best player on that unit.

So does that change the fact that he played for one of the best defenses in the league? Which he contributed to, which is why he got paid top 5 money.

[BertSquirtgum]

You guys are overrating Byrd like we do with many Bills players. He's not good enough to be the highest paid safety in the league. Byrd hasn't been very dominant like he was his first two years in the league. He's been average.

[Mr. Pink]

Byrd is a better player than Goldson.

And no one would ever accuse me of overrating any Bills players.

[Yasgur's Farm]

He already earned it and instead of us paying him, we lowballed him.

Dashon Goldson got a 5 year 41.25m contract with 22m guaranteed.

And people are saying that Byrd should be paid less than that?

This is EXACTLY the reason why he shouldn't be paid too much more than the Bills have already offered (BTW... $7.5M is not lowballing). Your reference of Goldson getting paid makes the point of why not to overpay... Next it will be Woods... And Carrington... etc.

[better days]

Byrd is a better player than Goldson.

And no one would ever accuse me of overrating any Bills players.

Goldson is a Pro Bowl player & had a career year last year & helped the 49ers to get to the Super Bowl after being tagged last year.

I

[IlluminatusUIUC]

So does that change the fact that he played for one of the best defenses in the league? Which he contributed to, which is why he got paid top 5 money.

"Contributed to." Ricky-Jean Francois "contributed" to that defense too. It was loaded with all-stars. Did you even know Goldson's name before Harbaugh took that team over? Byrd played as well as Goldson last year with 1/10th the help.