Wayne Cubed

Sure $8.3 million is less, but although the franchise tag keeps a player with a specific team to try to work out a long term deal, the player holds some of the cards as well. Like as was discussed earlier, that player can't be traded if he doesn't sign the tender. That handcuffs the team a bit. Then if they don't sign the tender before the 15th they can't be traded or negotiate a deal at all. Also, a player could choose to sit out up to 10 games if they choose without it effecting their player status. Unfortunately they wouldn't get paid for those games, unless of course they are injured like Byrd was last year. He sat out 6 games and collected the full $6.9 million. So in the end, IMO, Byrd would claim his PF acted up and possibly sit out 6-10 games. I think Whaley and the FO has to question if it's really worth paying $8.3 million to a disgruntled employee who would only play half the season and who would most certainly not be returning the next year.

Yea, I was referring up until the July 15th deadline. After that point they can't do anything, but up until then they could entertain trade offers. But Byrd would have to then sign the tender for them to trade him, basically meaning Byrd would have to approve the team otherwise he could just not sign the tender, much like he did last season. Then the Bills wouldn't be able to do anything as you say.

The Patriots* did the same thing with Wes Welker in 2012/2013. Welker was signed to a franchise tag in 2012. Welker was determined to find out his market value. They couldn't come to a long term deal and the Patriots realized this and let him become a free agent in 2013. Soooooooo, maybe the Bills are following the Pats* lead. Copy cat league as you say. Btw, it's been reported that the Pats* offered more than what Welker got with Denver.

The point of a franchise tag is an extension to work out a long term deal, end of. If that can't be worked out then a trade is the next possibility. If that then doesn't work out, why spin your wheels? The reason the price goes up is that it is trying to force a team/player to work out a deal, not keep renting that player for a year. The funny thing is, this same situation played out in New England* last year with Wes Welker. He was franchised in 2012, they couldn't come to a long term deal, became a FA in 2013. And reportedly he would have gotten more money if he stayed in NE but he was determined to test FA and his worth.

You must have inside info, because who are these teams he clearly wants to go to?

I think some just keep missing that point. And they miss the point that the Bills can't trade Byrd if he doesn't sign the tender, it's really that simple. It'd go like this: "Hey Jairus, we found a team willing to offer us what we want in return for your services" "Who's the team?" "Minnesota" "Nah, don't think I'll sign my tender then" Well there goes the trade him route.

Except they tried all last off season to find a trade partner and weren't able to. You are aware as well, to appease Byrd, he would have to actual want to go to the team he's being traded to. It's simple, Byrd won't sign the tender, and therefore the Bills can trade him if he isn't under contract, even if the Bills have lined up a couple teams. Byrd can do exactly what he did last year and not sign it. Then he can pull the PF card out and sit for the first 10 games.

+1 and I'll add I'm willing to wait and see how the 2014 seasons plays out without Byrd.

Haha, awww poor Tim. Another reason to hate the Bills for him, I suppose.

Goodbye Jairus Byrd.

uh.

It would, but if the plans are to sign some key FA's, that likely compensatory pick would be possibly a 6th or 7th. EDIT: Or in the case of last year and Levitre, no compensatory picks.

Oh I agree, they need to tag him anyways. I don't think they'd get a full season out of him anyways and would do a fair amount of damage just holding onto him until July 15th. Teams would have game planned for the season already, possibly spent up their cap space, so the teams he could go to would be limited. Wouldn't make him happy at all.

He can refuse to sign the tender, like he did last season. And therefore isn't under contract to trade. He'd have to sign the tender first, then they can trade. EDIT: So if the Bills line up a team and Byrd doesn't like that team for whatever reason, he could just refuse to sign the offer.

Could be that or it could be they don't want to pay that much for a FS. It could also be the Bills lined up a couple of teams to trade with and Byrd flat out declined them. Who knows. Point is and it's a pretty big point, as far as we as fans are aware, they couldn't find a trading partner last off season before July 15th and it wouldn't be that big of a stretch to assume they won't be able to find one this off season.

No, he was on a one year contract, which the Bills could sign him back for the vet minimum.

That must be what the Bills are thinking as far as I can imagine, if this "source" is to be trusted. Nothing materialized in terms of trade last season and it doesn't appear, from the source, that it is materializing this year. I still think the Bills should tag him and ride it out until July 15th, then if they want to cut him, if they can't find any trading partners. Yea sure, you could get Byrd to play in 2014, but that's unlikely to happen for the full season, so they Bills will have to game plan for another FS/SS combo, which will probably be Williams/Searcy. And if they look good through 8 games (the maximum amount of time Byrd could sit before getting paid) why make the switch to Byrd? I don't get not tagging him still though, just so the ball is in their court, although who knows which side this leak came from.

Add to that most players don't make it to the end of their contract anyways especially ones going over the age of 30.

Except if a player wants to leave no amount of trying to re-sign him before FA will work. Just look at the reports, the Bills are supposedly offering Byrd top safety money.... And he's turning it down. He wants out either to truly test FA or he wants to play for another team. It was posted previously the Levitre was excited for his "once in a lifetime opportunity" in FA. Unfortunately, players have to want to stay as well.

Yea, I cant remember the formula. They'd probably get a 3rd, maybe a 2nd for Byrd if they were able to trade to another team.

They would likely get a compensatory pick for just letting him go, how high is the question.

While I doubt he could be there, Mack is a 3 down LB and would most certainly be BPA if he was there at 9. The Bills would be foolish to pass that type of player up. I don't see him making it past Atlanta or TB as he would fill a need for them and be BPA when they pick.

Looks like someone just got Photoshop or Illustrator for their birthday. Wait, I take that back, they look like they were done on MS Paint.

There is that article, can't find it at the moment, that relates hand size to winning QB's. FWIW, Wilson's was 10 1/4" (damn).

I think it's an absolute home run draft if this draft happened in the first 3 rounds. Completely possible if Xavier doesn't move up too much.