On Sunday night, the Buffalo Bills saw their season come to an end against the Kansas City Chiefs with a 27-24 defeat. It was a tough finish on what has been a challenging season for this team.
However, it also looks like it could be the end of something bigger as it seems this is the last time Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer will be playing together for the Buffalo Bills. These two players were some of the first free agents that Sean McDermott signed after being named head coach in 2017.
At the time, neither player was a household name as Poyer had 10 career starts over four seasons and Hyde had yet to be a full-time safety and was moved around the Green Bay Packers defense. However, they would end up developing into one of the best safety duos in the NFL and a cornerstone of the Bills' defense for seven seasons.
Is this the final time Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde will be together in Buffalo Bills uniform?
While Poyer and Hyde have been great for a very long time, at some point the Buffalo Bills are going to have to move on. That moment seemed to happen on Sunday night, or at least make it appear that the possibility is legitimate.
According to Matt Parrino, the Buffalo Bills announced Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer last during pregame introductions. Regardless of a win or loss, this would be the final home game this season with the Baltimore Ravens winning on Saturday. This was a nice way to recognize two of the longest-tenured players on the roster.
After the game, Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer did their press conference together and Poyer had this to say about Hyde, according to Nick Veronica.
Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are at the interview table together. Feels like the possible end of an era in the Bills defensive backfield.
— Nick Veronica (@NickVeronica) January 22, 2024
“My brother, my teammate, my right-hand man,” Poyer says in a nice reflection on Hyde.
Neither player had a comment about next season.
Micah Hyde is set to be a free agent after this season and while Jordan Poyer does have one more year left on his contract, the Bills could release him with only $2 million in dead cap but savings of over $5 million.
It is tough to imagine this defense without these two lining up at safety but it seems like that is the reality that will face the Buffalo Bills here over the next few months.