Could the Buffalo Bills potentially trade Jordan Poyer this offseason?
On the surface, this might seem like a ridiculous idea for the Buffalo Bills to even entertain. Since the Bills signed Jordan Poyer in 2017, he has developed into an excellent safety alongside Micah Hyde.
These two players were one of the first free agent signings by Sean McDermott and have helped solidify the secondary and the Bills have typically ranked in the Top 5 against the pass during that stretch.
However, the Bills may be at a crossroads when it comes to Poyer. He is entering the final year of his contract and recently his new agent Drew Rosenhaus has said they approached the team about a new contract, according to The Athletic’s Tim Graham.
Jordan Poyer’s new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, tells me:
— Tim Graham (@ByTimGraham) April 8, 2022
“We have approached the Bills about a contract extension for Jordan, and he would very much like to finish his career in Buffalo.”
The question is really do the Bills want to offer a significant contract extension to a player who is over 30 and can they even afford it?
If there is even some uncertainty here, general manager Brandon Beane may want to explore potential trade options. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of a potential trade of Jordan Poyer.
Con: Weakens the secondary significantly in the short term
The first is certainly a big one because if the Buffalo Bills were to trade Jordan Poyer this offseason, it would absolutely weaken the secondary and the defense as a whole. Poyer has been a leader for this defense and a consistent, reliable presence on the field.
In each of the past five seasons, Poyer has had at least 90 total tackles with 93 total tackles this past season. He has shown to be a durable player with only one missed game since joining the Bills, which occurred in 2017.
He finally was named an All-Pro in 2021 and one of the reasons was his ability to make more impact plays with five interceptions and three sacks (both career highs).
The Bills have had consistent in the secondary over the past three seasons with the same starting five at the beginning of each season. They already know that streak will come to an end with Levi Wallace signing with Pittsburgh so also losing Jordan Poyer could be another step in the wrong direction for a team that looks to be on the cusp of a Super Bowl title.
Pro: Should be able to bring back a substantial return in a trade
If the Buffalo Bills are confident they have a plan to replace Jordan Poyer on the field, there are a number of positives to making a trade now. The first is that Jordan Poyer’s value probably never has been higher so a trade now could bring back a substantial return.
While he will be 31 years old this season, he is coming off the best season of his career as previously mentioned. He is a versatile player that can really do anything a team might want from a safety, from being a force at the line of scrimmage to dropping back into coverage.
It remains to be seen what Buffalo might be able to get in return. A package similar to what the Jets got from Seattle for Jamal Adams would seem unlikely but if the Bills want to move up early into the first round, offering Poyer could be enough to get into the Top 10.
Pro: Avoids potential contentious contract negotiation
Another reason to potentially make a trade now is that the Buffalo Bills might be able to avoid a contentious contract negotiation. While there has been no indication that it is heading that way, it is pretty common for players to hold out when they are unhappy with their contracts.
An example is currently Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown and Terry McLaurin are all skipping on-field workouts in hopes of new deals.
This type of distraction is never good for teams who are hoping to win the ultimate prize at the end of the season, a Lombardi Trophy. While Jordan Poyer at this point probably could skip a majority of the offseason workouts and still play at a high level by the time the regular season came around, it does create unnecessary questions for players and coaches when a player is absent during the offseason.
Pro: Frees up additional cap space in future years for the Buffalo Bills
This season, Jordan Poyer has a cap hit that ranks him sixth among safeties in the NFL. The fact that he is looking for a contract extension also usually is accompanied by a salary increase. If that is the case, the question is just how much and do the Bills want to commit to a long-term deal for a player who will be 31 years old.
The challenge becomes even greater when considering there are a number of younger players who are in line for contract extensions over the next year. The team has Devin Singletary and Dawson Knox entering the final year of their deals. They also have Ed Oliver, who will become a free agent after the 2023 season if they pick up his fifth-year option (which all indications are they will).
Over the years, general manager Brandon Beane has done a great job building a talented roster through free agency and the NFL Draft. While this is a great thing to have, it does create challenges as the Bills are not able to sign everyone and will have to potentially let good players leave at the end of their contract.
If the Buffalo Bills were to trade Jordan Poyer, there is no question that there would be a considerable risk, particularly this season. The secondary has plenty of questions as it is and trading Poyer would create another one.
However, if general manager Brandon Beane believes Poyer could leave after the season or a new deal can’t be reached then there are certainly some positives that come with a trade.