DON’T GET ME STARTED notice the absence of a previous defensive starter of the Buffalo Bills, Jairus Byrd. Yo – Jairus– how ya doin!!!!!!!! Hey agent Mr. Parker, how ya doin!!!!!
Before camp opened, the name of Jairus Byrd was all over the media (Buffalo News, every TV station.) Will he report or won’t he report.
Now that camp has opened and the Bills pummeled the Colts 44-20 Sunday last, nothing has been said about the Bills free safety hold-out. The name of Byrd is not being uttered wherever fans congregate. It’s as if he’s no longer a Buffalo Bill. Of course, that seems to be the case since Byrd did not sign the tender offer when Buffalo hit him with the franchise tag, guaranteeing Byrd almost $7 million under the franchise tag. It was reported that he was looking to be in the top tier – over $9 million a year. Word has it that the Bills wanted him under a long term deal worth about $2 million less or $7 mill a year.. He’s on the sidelines wherever he is.
In 4 weeks, the Bills will be getting their first real paychecks of the season. Byrd will be losing hundreds of thousands of dollars – PER GAME – under the terms of the Franchise Tag. I don’t know what the agent’s percentage of Byrd’s paycheck is, but it has to be substantial.
NFL players don’t start earning their money until the first game of the season. So Byrd is in a situation that he, himself, has caused (probably with a little help from his agent. Eugene Parker.).
The season is fast approaching. If Byrd is going to decide to come in and play for that measly $7 million……..he will be a free agent next season unless he’s tagged again. That puts the Bills and coach Marrone in a pickle. Play him, knowing he might bolt next season – or put him on special teams and allow a future safety on the squad become the starter. That’s playing hard-ball with Byrd. If he’s not putting up big numbers, his value goes down. Buffalo fans are pretty fickle when a player feels he has to be the highest paid player and turns down $7 million for one season.
The parties can’t get into contract talks until the end of the season in accordance with the NFL/Players association. They had to reach an agreement before July 15th for a long term deal. That passed. He can’t be fined by holding out since he is not under contract and doesn’t qualify as a free agent. So his holdout may be costing him a ton of money.
IF Byrd decides to come into camp the week of the opener against New England, how long will it take him to get into gear? After all, he has to learn an entirely new system under the new defensive coordinator. That takes time. I doubt in that scenario that coach Marrone would put him in there. There have been several mini-camps and now training camps plus exhibition games to get the defensive scheme become a matter of fact. That won’t be the case with Byrd.
It’s almost predictable that Byrd will not be effective for a few games (if he does come back.) AND if he decides to sit and not come back…..maybe it would be wise for the Bills to trade him to the National Football Conference for a first round draft choice next season. After all, fans are feeling that this year will be one setting things up for next season with the hopes of being competitive then. Fans certainly aren’t screaming to bring Byrd into camp. That decision rests solely with Byrd and – so far – he’s holding out and it’s going to cost him much loot plus playing time in the early games of the season on Don’t Get Me Started..
Filed under: Don't Get Me Started
Tagged with: Art Wander, Buffalo Bills, Jarius Byrd
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