Getty Jordan Poyer celebrates with Buffalo Bills fans after a game.
After rising tensions between the two sides throughout the 2022 season, the Buffalo Bills appeared destined to part ways with safety Jordan Poyer this offseason.
Poyer ultimately ended up returning to Buffalo on a two-year contract, but one insider believes there is a good chance that 2023 will still be his final year with the team. Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News noted that the Bills could find significant cap savings if they release Poyer before the final year of his contract, and his era in Buffalo could be coming to an end.
Bills Could Seize ‘Out’ in Jordan Poyer’s Contract
In a mailbag column published on September 17, Skurski was asked whether the Bills would have Poyer in their long-term plans. A reader noted that the All-Pro safety looked “overmatched” in the team’s September 11 loss to the New York Jets, and Skurski noted that the team would have a chance to cut Poyer loose after the season if they so wished.
“There is an out,” Skurski wrote. “If the Bills released Poyer after the 2023 season, they would be on the hook for $2 million in ‘dead money’ on the 2024 cap, but they would save $5.5 million in cap space. If Poyer is on the team in 2024 on his current contract, his cap hit will be $7.5 million.”
Skurski added that both Poyer and fellow All-Pro safety Micah Hyde could be in their final season with the Bills. Both joined the team in 2017, head coach Sean McDermott’s first year with the team.
Hyde and Poyer have both become cornerstones of the defense that broke the franchise’s 17-year playoff drought in their first season in Buffalo and then turned the team into a perennial Super Bowl contender with the arrival of quarterback Josh Allen.
“There is a real chance this is the final year for both Poyer and Micah Hyde in Buffalo,” Skurski wrote. “Hyde is in the final year of his contract. If that’s the case, it has been a remarkable run. If the Wall of Fame were still a thing, I’d argue both Poyer and Hyde should be strong considerations.”
Jordan Poyer’s Surprise Return
Poyer publicly pushed for a new contract during the 2022 season, but the two sides were unable to reach a deal and the safety seemed to be headed out of Buffalo. Poyer appeared to say goodbye to fans at the conclusion of the season, but ended up returning after signing a new contract in March.
As Jordan Poyer tested the free agency waters, one criteria stood above the rest.
“What is going to make Jordan Poyer happy?”
He explains why that answer ultimately was the #Bills.
Poyer spoke to the media shortly after returning to the team, saying he knew he made the right decision in returning to Buffalo.
“This is where I’m going to finish my career and I’m really excited about that… I don’t know how many more years I have left to play,” Poyer said. “I know I have this year guaranteed, that I’m going to be able to play football at a high level. I’m healthy now and just needed time to get my body right. I’m ready to play.”