Buffalo Bills Jordan Poyer Move: No Trade, New Contract, More Talks

Says Poyer: "I want to continue to play football and continue to play my best football here in Buffalo for as long as I can.''

No, the Buffalo Bills’ “move” on Jordan Poyer is not going to be a trade. But there is a move.

A Bleacher Report "trade proposal'' that would have the Bills trading Jordan Poyer - arguably the NFL's best safety - to the New York Giants … is silly.

The Bills’ action on Saturday is serious, as they have essentially made a goodwill gesture while long-term extension talks continue. They have agreed to a re-done contract for 2022 that increases his potential incentive earnings from $500,000 to $2 million.

As his agent @DrewJRosenhaus notes (via ESPN): “Jordan appreciates this goodwill gesture by the Bills as we continue to work for a contract extension.”

So what if the B/R “bold'' thought? “Poyer is a first-team All-Pro and wants to be paid like one,” the site writes. “The 31-year-old is also heading into the last year of his current contract. In any contract negotiation, teams are paying for what a player will do in the future, not what he’s already done. Since Poyer is about to enter the 2022 campaign without a new deal, the Bills should consider moving the versatile defender.”

The holes in this logic are many. To wit:

*In this proposed trade, the Bills would receive only a fourth-round and a fifth-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft. That would be asset-management suicide on the part of a Buffalo front office that has proven to be far more savvy than that.

*Bills general manager Brandon Beane and Poyer have both said all of the right things about their futures together - even as Poyer is seeking a new contract. He's not pouting, he's not holding out. (He returned to practice this weekend as he ramps up to face the Rams on Thursday.) There simply isn't the oozing animosity in place that would fuel such a breakup.

Said Poyer: "I want to continue to play football and continue to play my best football here in Buffalo for as long as I can, for however long that may be ... I’m here with the guys right now and ready to attack this season.”

*And that leads to the biggest problem with the suggestion: The Bills have meticulously built a roster that can absolutely win now. They fielded the league’s No. 1 defense last season, with team captain Poyer as a centerpiece. 

The Bills (like the Rams) are trying to add talent (Exhibit A: Odell Beckham Jr.,), not strip themselves of it. Buffalo's plan to make a serious run at the Super Bowl features Poyer. And this financial gesture proves that.