Poll: Should the Bills keep Byrd?

[Rubes]

What does everybody think? Time to put your opinion down.

 

Just curious, but with the votes for #2, what would people say if Byrd would only stay if he is the highest paid safety in the league? Do it, or move on?

Edited January 1, 2014 by Rubes

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Might also make sense to have options for:

 

Yes, under a franchise tag.

 

No, but they should tag and trade him.

[Rubes]

Might also make sense to have options for:

 

Yes, under a franchise tag.

 

No, but they should tag and trade him.

 

Well, franchise tag would be included in #2. Also, I wanted to know if we should keep Byrd, not necessarily trade him, which I guess would be included in #3.

[TSNBDSC]

Trade for the highest pick you can get. The Defense was not that much better with him.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

In the trade scenario, that becomes viable depending on what exactly they could get in return.

 

If they could get a mid-first rounder I'd think about it.

 

Otherwise I'd be good making him the highest-paid safety in the league.

[Fan in Chicago]

What does everybody think? Time to put your opinion down.

 

Just curious, but with the votes for #2, what would people say if Byrd would only stay if he is the highest paid safety in the league? Do it, or move on?

 

Top 5 salary - yes. No to top salary.

However, if we do trade or otherwise not retain him, we better have a good replacement for him unlike what we did with Levitre.

[Gray Beard]

The Bills made a big splash in the free agent market to get Mario Williams. He is very good, but he is probably over paid. But it's not my money and the Bills are under the cap.

Should the Bills do something similar to keep Byrd? He is very good, but he would probably be over paid. But it's not my money and the Bills are under the cap.

I just have a mind-set problem with over paying somebody, but I should probably get over it since it's not my money and the Bills are under the cap.

[Beerball]

There's no reason at all for Byrd to not be on the team next July. Whether it's because he's happy (signed new contract) or pissed (franchised again) he'll be there.

 

One caveat though...I'd never rule out a sign & trade if things don't look good.

[PO'14]

If he is not a cancer in the room, then Pay the man to be the highest paid safety. Who cares. Ralph is making his money. What is the difference between 6 million or 9 million. At the end of the day, we are under cap. I also found it upsetting that the teams with the most cap space for next year are the teams that have been terrible forever. ( Cleveland, Buffalo, Oakland and so on )

[Pirate Angel]

Trade for the highest pick you can get. The Defense was not that much better with him.

It will get better with him gone?

[Mr_Blizzard]

Byrd is one of the best at his position. Why would the Bills not make every effort to reward him for his performance and keep him with the team for another 4 or 5 years?

[Bufcomments]

To me Byrd has proven himself.

 

Pay the Man. Keep the D together. Maybe overpay him a tad . Not crazy overpay but overpay him.

 

He's a good guy, straight off the field, a pro-bowler on it.

 

What more do you want?

Edited January 1, 2014 by Bufcomments

[machine gun kelly]

Byrd is one of the best at his position. Why would the Bills not make every effort to reward him for his performance and keep him with the team for another 4 or 5 years?

 

+1

 

That is how you build winning teams. Retain your talent. This is what winners do. Pay him 3rd highest or so. Give him a lot guaranteed to make him happy. We have a cheap rookie QB. This will be the problem in three years when I hope EJ or the next guy is almost up, and we either cut Byrd and Mario, or they renegotiate at the end. Right now our QB money is tied up in Mario.

 

He was excellent but 13 sacks doesn't warrant 18 mil per year. We can afford it now, but if he does not maintain beast mode, he's not worth it.

[TheMadCap]

How many times are we gonna go through this, really? Mediocre teams, with a history of failure, that haven't sniffed playoffs or a winning season in 15 years will NEVER improve letting young Pro Bowlers at the peak of their powers leave the team. So what if they overpay him? Most players are overpaid anyway. It's not my money. I want the team to win. You keep good players, period. Besides, in two years he'll be the 6th highest paid safety anyway...

[Bangarang]

Trade for the highest pick you can get. The Defense was not that much better with him.

 

The drop off between Byrd and Searcy or anyone else is significant enough for me.

[Mark Vader]

There's no reason at all for Byrd to not be on the team next July. Whether it's because he's happy (signed new contract) or pissed (franchised again) he'll be there.

 

One caveat though...I'd never rule out a sign & trade if things don't look good.

Agree on all points.

 

I voted for top 5 salaries in the league, but if they have to make him the highest paid Safety, do it. They can always renegotiate or cut him near the end of his contract.

 

I love the idea of Byrd & AW being our starting Safeties. I am not comfortable with the thought of AW being teamed up with Searcy or Duke Williams.

 

If negotiations breakdown, then slap the franchise tag on him and trade him to the highest bidder. We can't just let Byrd walk without any real compensation. A 3rd round compensatory pick in the 2015 draft is not enough.

[KOKBILLS]

There's no reason at all for Byrd to not be on the team next July. Whether it's because he's happy (signed new contract) or pissed (franchised again) he'll be there.

 

One caveat though...I'd never rule out a sign & trade if things don't look good.

 

I think a tag and trade is the most likely possibility here...Though I do wonder what this season truly did for Byrd's market value...While instinctively he is still clearly one of the best Free Safeties in the NFL, it looked to me that...at least some of the time...the PF was slowing Byrd down...To me he does not look like he's moving as well as he used to, especially in a straight line...And I think that's going to show up on tape...It may be best for the Bills to tag him, put their best offer on the table, and then allow Parker to shop around for a team willing to trade...My guess is Parker will find out quickly that teams are unwilling to make Byrd the highest paid FS in the league...And maybe the Bills offer will be the best one regardless...We'll see...But this thing is FAR from decided that's for sure...

[uncle flap]

However, if we do trade or otherwise not retain him, we better have a good replacement for him unlike what we did with Levitre.

 

TJ Ward is the only option I can think of who might be available and wouldn't be too much of a drop off. Otherwise, they have to keep Byrd one way or another.

 

With the cap floor coming into play, the Bills are going to have to spend money somewhere. It might as well be on Byrd.

[Bills1218]

If Russ and Co. are serious about breaking with the losing culture of the last decade and a half, they'll lock him up long-term. Other franchises do this with their core group of players in order to establish that nucleus that the rest of the team is built around. Byrd is young, top five at his position, and by all accounts a good locker room guy - there's no reason not to get a deal done, especially considering how much room we've got under the cap.

 

If Byrd walks, it's just another example of how far this franchise has fallen since the Polian/Butler era.

[Direhard Fan]

He is definately a play maker. If he really wants to be a Bill pay him. If he has a bitter taste in his mouth move on.