Byrd watching - future with Cowboys?

[Nirvana]

1. Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 3m
   Its not like the Bills are going to win a Super Bowl with him on the franchise tag in 2014. So take the comp pick and move on.
   
   
   
2. Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 4m
   But to franchise him again puts them back where they started, the $ is very big and they still don't have his rights longterm. renting again
   
   
   
3. 
   Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 4m
   The Bills offer to Byrd woulve made him 1 of highest paid safeties in the NFL in 1st 2 yrs of deal. They'll continue to work on a new deal
   
   
4. 
   Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 5m
   While there had been reports the Bills would tag Jairus Byrd, from what I gather that is very unlikely. He rejected their latest offer...
   

Ranking the 2014 Free Agents: Safeties
John Castellane | February 21, 2014

• 
  

1. Jairus Byrd

2013 Grade: +9.92013 Snaps: 646

Summary: After receiving the franchise tag a year ago, Byrd reluctantly played the 2013 season without a long-term contract. Buffalo was forced to tag him after the two sides couldn’t reach a deal and although that decision didn’t seem to work for either side, it is once again a possibility this year. A training camp holdout, Byrd didn’t crack the starting lineup for the Bills until Week 8 because of a foot injury and there was some doubt about his dedication to the team. However, once inserted into the lineup he missed just 16 defensive snaps between Week 8 and Week 16.

Byrd is a playmaking safety and is as steady as they come. He has graded in the red (-1.0 or worse) just four times since the start of 2010 and not once in 2013. Finishing eighth in overall safety grade and seventh in coverage, Byrd missed just four tackles on the year. In 2012, he also missed just four tackles despite playing 400 more snaps and led all safeties with a+20.0 coverage grade.

With the emphasis on pass catching tight ends and multiple wide receiver formations growing, players like Byrd will be in high demand. Last year he made roughly $6.9 million under the franchise designation, but if he hits the open market this year he will be looking at a contract closer to the $10 million a year that the highest-paid safeties are getting.

Byrd is only 27 years old and is considered the best free safety in the game, known for his coverage skills. To say this is a hole in the Cowboys roster is an understatement. Numerous attempts since Woodson have failed for the last decade. Let's get him!

 

[Nightman]

1. Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 3m
   Its not like the Bills are going to win a Super Bowl with him on the franchise tag in 2014. So take the comp pick and move on.
   
   
   
2. Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 4m
   But to franchise him again puts them back where they started, the $ is very big and they still don't have his rights longterm. renting again
   
   
   
3. 
   Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 4m
   The Bills offer to Byrd woulve made him 1 of highest paid safeties in the NFL in 1st 2 yrs of deal. They'll continue to work on a new deal
   
   
4. 
   Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 5m
   While there had been reports the Bills would tag Jairus Byrd, from what I gather that is very unlikely. He rejected their latest offer...

Byrd is only 27 years old and is considered the best free safety in the game, known for his coverage skills. To say this is a hole in the Cowboys roster is an understatement. Numerous attempts since Woodson have failed for the last decade. Let's get him!

I'm in

 

[ErikWilliamsHeadSlap]

So what kind of money are we talking about here?

 

[Alexander]

I'm in

I bet we are not. Expect a few "we like where we are at safety" from our braintrust relatively soon.

 

[davey999]

Go heavy on DL in the draft. Sign Byrd.

 

[big dog cowboy]

1. Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 3m
   Its not like the Bills are going to win a Super Bowl with him on the franchise tag in 2014.

Same can be said about the Cowboys.

 

[JBS]

Nope, too expensive

 

[Nirvana]

 

[Nirvana]

 

[GoCowboysGo]

I bet we are not. Expect a few "we like where we are at safety" from our braintrust relatively soon.

Exactly, or a "safety is a strength of the team" statement from JJ.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Nope, too expensive

This.

If the Cowboys are going to spend a lot of money on one player, make it a defensive lineman.

 

[coult44]

1. Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 3m
   Its not like the Bills are going to win a Super Bowl with him on the franchise tag in 2014. So take the comp pick and move on.
   
   
   
2. Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 4m
   But to franchise him again puts them back where they started, the $ is very big and they still don't have his rights longterm. renting again
   
   
   
3. 
   Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 4m
   The Bills offer to Byrd woulve made him 1 of highest paid safeties in the NFL in 1st 2 yrs of deal. They'll continue to work on a new deal
   
   
4. 
   Jason La Canfora ‏@JasonLaCanfora 5m
   While there had been reports the Bills would tag Jairus Byrd, from what I gather that is very unlikely. He rejected their latest offer...

Byrd is only 27 years old and is considered the best free safety in the game, known for his coverage skills. To say this is a hole in the Cowboys roster is an understatement. Numerous attempts since Woodson have failed for the last decade. Let's get him!

I've been waiting for two years now on him to be a FA. I had hoped we would have our cap situation in order when he became available. I don't think it's possible now that the time has come, but If it were I'd do it in a second. If JJ found a way to get this done, I'd ease up for a while on his ineptness. Byrd would INSTANTLY change our defense. We would be automatically 50% better than we were last year.

 

[Alexander]

Exactly, or a "safety is a strength of the team" statement from JJ.

He can't say that, not enough money invested in it. "Strength of the team" means "Dagnabbit, I sure am paying these players a lot of money".

 

[TwoCentPlain]

This team is in no position to be chasing high-priced FAs. I'd rather have two or three mid-tier players rather than one expensive player. Lets move on from putting too few eggs in our one basket. I'm tired of watching high-priced players sit on the bench injured. Let's let the market play out first and then contact any players not yet signed. e are bargain shopping right now.

 

[Section446]

We couldn't afford him, he wants to be amongst the highest paid Safeties in the league.

 

[BigStar]

Byrd/Ward have been on my FA wish list to finally settle the secondary woes...yes pass rush helps but the coverage woes date back to the days where we had a potent pass rush...Byrd would be the ideal first choice and could improve the secondary immensley.

 

[BigStar]

I bet we are not. Expect a few "we like where we are at safety" from our braintrust relatively soon.

Broken record @ that position...similar to the justifications for the OL neglect before finally investing seriously in the position.

 

[cowboys1981]

I've been waiting for two years now on him to be a FA. I had hoped we would have our cap situation in order when he became available. I don't think it's possible now that the time has come, but If it were I'd do it in a second. If JJ found a way to get this done, I'd ease up for a while on his ineptness. Byrd would INSTANTLY change our defense. We would be automatically 50% better than we were last year.

I disagree, getting some Dlineman that can push the pocket and create pressure will improve our defense overall.

 

[NJ22]

I don't think this team values the safety position near enough to spend big money. They have been trying to get by on the cheap for years since Woody and the one time they spent some case on Hamlin they did not get the return they wanted.

 

[TheDude]

I bet we are not. Expect a few "we like where we are at safety" from our braintrust relatively soon.

Awesome. While laughing at this, I threw up in my mouth. Starting the day off with a nice bit of irony...I thank you