Getty Jordan Poyer celebrates after making an interception against the Miami Dolphins.
The Buffalo Bills not only brought All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer back for another two seasons, they apparently got a very team-friendly contract on top of it.
The Bills announced on March 16 that Poyer was returning to the team, a development that once seemed increasingly unlikely as the two sides failed to reach a deal prior to the start of free agency and Poyer was openly musing about leaving Buffalo.
Buffalo News reporter Ryan O’Halloran shared details of Poyer’s deal on Friday, which includes two years and $12.5 million with $7 million guaranteed. The deal includes other incentives that can bump the total compensation up to $14.5 million, O’Halloran noted.
The deal earned some praise from Bills fans and insiders, who noted that Poyer’s contract seemed to be a steal compared to other safety signings.
“Wow,” tweeted WGR 550 host Nate Geary in response to O’Halloran’s tweet sharing details of the deal.
Bills Fans Praise Poyer’s Deal
Poyer’s deal earned some high marks from other Bills fans, especially given the cap crunch that the team faced leading up to the start of free agency. The Bills were as much as $20 million over the cap, though reduced that amount through a series of contract restructures and extensions.
Many were happy to see that Poyer’s new contract wouldn’t hamstring the team financially.
Jordan Poyer: I came to Buffalo to win championship, goal hasn’t changed.
“WOW. That’s an incredibly team friendly deal for the Bills,” a fan tweeted. “I’m sure his age hurt his market. Still thought he’d get a lot more. Shoutout to Jordan Poyer for the loyalty.”
Poyer has been a leader on the Bills’ defense since he joined the team in 2017. Though he lost time to a series of injuries last season, Poyer still managed to make 63 tackles and four interceptions, including a pair in the team’s comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Bills Thrilled to Get Poyer Back at a Good Price
Bills general manager Brandon Beane spoke out about Poyer’s new deal, telling reporters at a March 16 press conference that he was happy the two sides could come together even after extension talks hit an impasse during the season.
He noted it was especially important for the Bills’ defense to retain Poyer after they lost another Pro Bowler, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
“You know, all along, these are never easy when the business parts get in the way,” Beane said, via the Buffalo News. “Us not extending Jordan early, it’s just more what can we do with the cap and we didn’t know the cap until after the season and obviously we lost Tremaine (Edmunds). We don’t want to lose any of the guys that we do, but was very excited that we were able to get Jordan back.”
Beane added that there was a chance the team could have been priced out of Poyer’s market as they were with Edmunds, but they were glad to find the right price to bring him back.
“Selfishly, at the same time if Jordan had hit some big deal such as Tremaine did, we would have been very happy for him,” Beane said. ‘We want all our people that do leave to hit it big, but glad to get him back and re-pair him with Micah [Hyde]. He’s a leader, he’s a dog, he brings an edge to our defense and he can take the ball away.”