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Jordan Poyer

Bills To Acquire Dean Marlowe From Falcons

November 1st, 2022 at 3:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Bills’ Nyheim Hines trade was not their only buzzer-beating move ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. Prior to the since-passed endpoint for NFL 2022 trading, the Bills acquired a familiar name to bolster their safety position.

They are trading for Falcons safety Dean Marlowe, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Bills are sending the Falcons a seventh-round pick for Marlowe, a New York native who spent three seasons with the Bills.

Marlowe, 30, played in Buffalo from 2018-20 but has been with the Lions and Falcons over the past two seasons. With Micah Hyde out for the season and Jordan Poyer suffering an injury in Week 8, the Bills will reunite with a player that should not have much trouble moving back into Sean McDermott‘s scheme.

Previously serving as a reserve behind Buffalo’s top-tier Hyde-Poyer tandem, Marlowe played in 26 games with McDermott’s team and started seven. Marlowe, who caught on with the Bills via a practice squad agreement in December 2017, returns to Buffalo as a higher-profile player capable of fortifying the team’s uncertain safety spot. He has 17 career starts during his NFL career, which began when he spent his rookie season as a Panthers reserve on their Super Bowl-bound 2015 squad.

It is not known how much time, if any, Poyer will miss. The veteran safety said he felt a pop in his elbow during the Bills’ win over the Packers on Sunday night. Poyer went through an MRI on Monday. If the Bills were forced to play without Poyer and Hyde, it would represent new territory for a team that has extracted considerable value since pairing the veterans in 2017. The Bills have used 2021 sixth-rounder Damar Hamlin as Hyde’s primary replacement, with fourth-year man Jaquan Johnson mixing in. Marlowe and Johnson represent the team’s top insurance options against a Poyer absence.

In the minutes before the deadline, the Falcons both received and sent out seventh-round picks. They traded a seventh for Chiefs cornerback Rashad Fenton, having seen injuries alter their corner situation, and recouped that value via Marlowe minutes later. Young talent Richie Grant and Jaylinn Hawkins are Atlanta’s starting safeties; Marlowe and Erik Harris served as depth pieces for the NFC South-leading team.

AFC Injuries Update: Titans, Paye, Edmunds, Poyer

October 8th, 2022 at 3:38pm CST by Ely Allen

Injuries continue to bite the Titans on the defensive side of the ball. This week, the team will play without three starters as head coach Mike Vrabel has ruled out safety Amani Hooker, edge rusher Bud Dupree, and linebacker Zach Cunningham, according to Turron Davenport of ESPN.

The Titans already have six players on injured reserve from the defense alone, as well as five more from the offense. Vrabel also announced that the team will sit linebackers Olasunkanmi Adeniyi and Joseph Jones, as well. This all in addition to the recent loss of rookie wide receiver Treylon Burks to IR.

Tennessee has elevated practice squad linebacker Joe Schobert and wide receiver Dez Fitzpatrick to make up for the loss of Cunningham and Burks, respectively. Dupree and Hooker’s absences will likely mean more playing time for second-year linebacker Rashad Weaver and backup safeties Joshua Kalu and Ugo Amadi. Amadi has some starting experience from his time with the Seahawks.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the AFC, starting with a division rival of the Titans:

Bills Agree To Restructured Deal With S Jordan Poyer

September 10th, 2022 at 12:54pm CST by Adam La Rose

A new deal for Jordan Poyer has long been a talking point for the Bills this offseason. One has not yet been finalized, but the All-Pro safety could nevertheless see increased compensation this season. 

The Bills have agreed to a re-worked contract with Poyer, which will increase his total money available to be earned via incentives from $500K to $2MM (Twitter link via ESPN’s Field Yates). His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said, “Jordan appreciates this goodwill gesture by the Bills as we continue to work for a contract extension.”

The 31-year-old has one season remaining on his current pact, and is due $6.7MM. That figure falls well short of what many other safeties of his caliber are making, especially after the position’s market shot upwards this offseason. That, and the fact that Poyer’s 2022 cap hit is over $10.7MM made it little surprise when he approached the team regarding a new deal which could be mutually beneficial.

Poyer has grown from a seventh-round pick to one of the league’s top safeties over the course of his Bills tenure. He failed to reach the 100-tackle mark last season for the first time in three years, but still filled the stat sheet with 93 stops, three sacks, five interceptions and nine pass breakups. He got off to a productive start during the team’s season opener, recording an interception.

His availability was in doubt for Thursday’s game, but a 97% snap share showed that Poyer has recovered from the hyperextended elbow which could have kept him sidelined. He, along with Micah Hyde, will play a major role in the Bills’ defensive success, especially while All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White is unavailable. Even if he is unable to land a new pact, Poyer could play his way into a more lucrative 2022.

Bills S Jordan Poyer Expected To Play Week 1

September 4th, 2022 at 2:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jordan Poyer has remained in the headlines throughout the offseason due to his contract status, but a more positive piece of news has come about today. The veteran safety is expected to be available when the Bills open the season against the Rams on Thursday. 

When asked whether or not Poyer would be on the field, head coach Sean McDermott said, “I’ll be surprised if he isn’t” (Twitter link via Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic). That would certainly be a welcomed development for Buffalo, though not an entirely unexpected one.

The 31-year-old hyperextended his elbow one month ago, leaving his regular season availability in doubt. While he has yet to practice, it was originally presumed that he would recover in time to start the campaign. Any absence would be critical for the Bills’ secondary, of course; Poyer has become a consistent, highly productive playmaker during his five years with the Bills, earning All-Pro honors in 2021. That performance led to his decision to approach the Bills in April regarding an extension.

Poyer has one year remaining on his current pact, and is due $5.6MM. The fact that his cap hit is nearly double that figure, however, made him a prime candidate for a new deal during the summer. The safety market has seen a major upward trend this offseason, with the likes of Minkah Fitzpatrick and Derwin James taking the position to new financial heights. Poyer’s age would prevent the kind of mega-deal those two signed, and the Bills have little in the way of cap space, but a short-term extension could free up some room while reflecting his value to the team.

In the immediate future, Poyer being able to suit up would be particularly helpful for Buffalo considering the absence of All-Pro corner Tre’Davious White. The Bills placed White on the PUP list last week, keeping him sidelined for at least a month as he recovers from a torn ACL. He will be missed against Cooper Kupp and Co., but a healthy Poyer could help make up for his loss for the presumed AFC favorites.

Injury Updates: Patriots, Burrow, Poyer, Giants, Falcons

August 3rd, 2022 at 9:35pm CST by Ben Levine

James White remains without a return timetable. The veteran is still sidelined following hip surgery, and Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets that it’s uncertain when the long-time Patriots RB will return to the field.

The longest-tenured member of the Patriots offense could ultimately land on PUP, but Howe notes that the organization will wait a few more weeks to evaluate White’s progress. The RB suffered a hip subluxation injury last September, limiting him to only three games during the 2021 season. White had 496 yards from scrimmage during his first non-Tom Brady season in 2020, but he topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage in both 2019 and 2018.

Fortunately for the Patriots, the organization still has Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson atop their depth chart, but it’s tough to replace the pass-catching prowess of White. The organization also used a pair of draft picks on RBs Pierre Strong Jr. (fourth round) and Kevin Harris (sixth round).

More injury notes from around the NFL…

  • Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had an appendectomy last week, and it’s unlikely we see him until the regular season. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Burrow likely won’t play during the preseason. Rapoport estimates that the QB could return two to four weeks after his initially surgery, and he’ll likely participate in throwing sessions while limiting his hits during practice.
  • Bills All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer hyperextended his elbow yesterday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). While the injury will keep Poyer off the field for a few weeks, he’s expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. The veteran defensive back has only missed a pair of regular season games since joining the Bills in 2017.
  • Giants fourth-round safety Dane Belton suffered a broken collarbone, reports ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (via Twitter). While the rookie will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, the organization is holding out hope that he’ll be good to go for the start of the season. There’s a better chance he lands on IR following final cuts and will then be activated at some point in October. The Iowa product had already made a strong impression at training camp, according to Raanan.
  • Falcons defensive tackle Vincent Taylor ruptured his Achilles, according to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein (on Twitter). The injury will force Taylor to miss the 2022 season. The 28-year-old joined the Falcons back in April. The journeyman has appeared in 40 career games, including a single start with the Texans in 2021.

Bills S Jordan Poyer Reports To Training Camp

July 25th, 2022 at 2:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

Expectations are justifiably high for the Bills heading into this season, but for months the contract status of one of their top defenders has remained a key talking point. Amidst his stated desire for a new contract, safety Jordan Poyer reported to training camp yesterday, as noted by NFL Network’s Mike Giardi (on Twitter). 

That news alone doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given that players often try to leverage their financial situations via ‘hold-ins’ now. On that point, though, Giardi adds that Poyer “is expected to practice” with the team. The 31-year-old has one year remaining on his current contract.

The fact that he is scheduled to make $6.7MM this season – a figure far lower than the compensation most other top safeties are in line for – has led the All-Pro to approach the team about an extension. In his fifth season with the Bills, Poyer matched his career high with five interceptions, adding nine pass deflections and three sacks. That kind of production has many expecting that the Bills would prefer to keep his partnership with Micah Hyde intact for at least the short-term future.

Further incentive for an new deal is the fact that Poyer’s scheduled cap hit ($10.78MM) could be lowered through an extension, which has always been viewed as being most likely to take place around training camp. Even if Poyer is on the field during practices, his lack of security beyond 2022 will loom large.

Quelling potential doubts about his desire to remain with the team, the Oregon State alum recently said “I can’t really think of a better situation for me to be in than Buffalo right now.” Progress made between the two sides on finalizing a new deal will be a storyline worth watching for a team looking to remain a Super Bowl contender now and for the foreseeable future.

AFC East Rumors: Poyer, Franklin-Myers, Joyner, Hall

July 8th, 2022 at 7:15pm CST by Ely Allen

Bills safety Jordan Poyer ended his hold out last month, attending mandatory minicamp in order to avoid the roughly $90,000 in fines he would have been liable to pay for an unexcused absence. He’s also not likely to return to his hold out once camp begins for a similar reason, according to Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News.

Poyer had skipped OTAs in May after he had decided to push Buffalo for a contract extension. The deal would likely benefit both parties. Poyer would get a raise while the Bills would have an opportunity to lower Poyer’s cap hit and keep one of the NFL’s best safety tandems together for a few more years (as fellow safety, Micah Hyde, is under contract through next season).

If Poyer balked and ended his hold out at $90,000 to attend minicamp, it’s had to imagine that he would be willing to shell out the $50,000 daily fine that would hit him as a player not on a rookie contract missing camp. Poyer has recently doubled down on his assertion that he truly wants to remain in Buffalo, so moving forward in good faith puts the pressure on the Bills to provide him with a deal to keep him from walking at the end of the season..

Here are a few other rumors from out of the AFC East, specifically coming out of the Garden State:

  • The Jets brought in edge defender Carl Lawson last offseason to improve their pass rush but, unfortunately, saw his season end before it had a chance to begin. With Lawson coming back healthy and looking to start, New York will have to figure out who to start opposite Lawson on the line. Despite some initial thought that rookie first-round pick Jermaine Johnson II would slide into the starting position, it’s looking like veteran John Franklin-Myers will show early dividends on his recent four-year, $55MM extension and earn the starting job, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. Johnson will likely rotate in off the bench along with Jacob Martin and Bryce Huff.
  • The Jets brought in veteran cornerback Lamarcus Joyner last offseason in hopes that he could move to safety and start alongside Marcus Maye. Similar to the loss of Lawson, though, New York saw Joyner suffer a Week 1 injury that would hold him out for the remainder of the season. Despite the loss of Maye to free agency, the Jets are still hoping Joyner can start for them at safety, this time alongside free agent addition Jordan Whitehead, according to Costello. New York still has depth at the position with Ashtyn Davis and Elijah Riley both earning starts throughout last year, but the Jets are hoping they can rely on the veteran 1-2 punch of Joyner at free safety and Whitehead at strong safety.
  • Last year’s fourth-round pick, running back Michael Carter, performed admirably over his rookie season showing he can be effective at the NFL-level. But Carter is extremely likely to take a back seat this upcoming season to the team’s second-round pick from this year’s draft, Breece Hall, according to Connor Hughes of The Athletic. While Carter was good in his debut season, the Jets fully expect Hall to be a Pro Bowler and a home run hitter. Hall is expected to receive the majority of the carries for New York’s offense and Carter will be a bit more of a role player in his sophomore season.

Latest On Bills S Jordan Poyer

July 2nd, 2022 at 4:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Earlier this offseason, Bills safety Jordan Poyer changed agents and approached the team in the hopes of signing a new contract. That decision led to a storyline which has remained largely unchanged throughout the spring and into the summer. 

[RELATED: Examining A Poyer Extension]

The 31-year-old skipped OTAs amidst his desire for a renegotiated pact. An extension would add some security for both sides, as Poyer is only under contract for one more season. The value of that deal ($5.6MM) represents, of course, another reason why he would be seeking a new accord. Poyer was named a First-Team All-Pro in 2021, matching his career-high with five interceptions and continuing his consistent level of play which has been seen throughout his tenure with the Bills.

While the former seventh-rounder (who attended mandatory minicamp) will earn far less than many other top safeties in 2022, a restructure to his current deal pushes his cap hit to over $10.7MM. That could provide further incentive on the team’s part to work out an extension, something which would likely happen around training camp later this month. Fortunately for Buffalo, Poyer is doubling down on his intentions of remaining with his current employer.

When appearing on the Inside the Garage podcast recently, he said, via Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper, “I can’t really think of a better situation for me to be in than Buffalo right now.” Part of the reason for that, as he stated, is the presence of fellow safety Micah Hyde, who has teamed with Poyer to great success with the Bills and is under contract for two more seasons. If talks progress either before or during the upcoming season, Poyer could continue to be a key contributor on one of the league’s top contenders for at least the short-term future.

AFC East Notes: Poyer, Becton, Jets, Patriots

June 14th, 2022 at 10:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Jordan Poyer continues to pursue a new contract, but that won’t keep him away from mandatory minicamp. The Bills All-Pro safety is in attendance for practice this week, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

The impending free agent is seeking a new deal, and the Bills have been in communication with the player’s camp. According to ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg, Poyer’s participation may be limited in a pseudo-holdout move.

“I think Jordan is in a good place mentally,” said defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. “He’s still staying in touch with his teammates, and hopefully, we’ll see him soon.”

Poyer has been a consistent starter on the Bills defense since joining the organization in 2017, missing only a pair of games. After collecting 100+ tackles between 2018 and 2020, the safety earned his first career All-Pro nod in 2021 after finishing with 93 tackles, three sacks, and five interceptions. The veteran inked a two-year extension with the organization in 2020.

More out of the AFC East:

  • The Jets could turn to a committee approach as they look to replace Jamison Crowder‘s spot at slot receiver, writes ESPN’s Rich Cimini. Many assumed that Braxton Berrios would slide into the role, but head coach Robert Saleh admitted the team is “working through it” and prefers to slide players in and out of the spot to keep things unpredictable. Elijah Moore and rookie Garrett Wilson are among the receivers who could join Berrios in the slot rotation.
  • Jets defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd rejected a better offer to re-sign with the Jets on a one-year, $1.1MM deal, according to Cimini. Incredibly, the 2018 draft pick is the team’s longest-tenured player, and he’s earned a reputation as a hard worker and loyal player. As Cimini notes, Shepard is now the biggest player on the team with Folorunso Fatukasi gone, and that could mean the veteran will see a more significant role in run-stopping situations.
  • Jets offensive lineman Mekhi Becton made it to mandatory minicamp after having sat out previous voluntary sessions, tweets ESPN’s Rich Cimini. The lineman didn’t practice, presumably because he’s still rehabbing his surgically repaired knee. Meanwhile, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano writes that the player’s ability to return to the field could ultimately influence the left tackle competition between Becton and George Fant. “The faster that you can stamp ‘Hey, this is what we feel like is going to be our best going into Week 1 vs. Baltimore,’ the faster we can do that the better,” offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said (via Vacchiano). “I think it will play itself out fairly quickly. When we get back (for training camp), we’re rolling, we’re running the football, and we’re going to see. It’ll all play itself out.”
  • At least one “prominent” member of the Patriots offense believed the coaching staff was unprepared at the start of the team’s offseason workout, according to Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus. Following Josh McDaniels move to Las Vegas, the Patriots haven’t replaced anyone as their offensive coordinator, with former ST coordinator Joe Judge and former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia apparently taking on larger roles on offense. However, it sounds like the coaches are settling into roles, with Kyed describing Judge as the “passing game coordinator” and Patricia as the “running game coordinator.” Naturally, head coach Bill Belichick recently swatted away any questions about the offensive play calling. “If you’re asking about game plans, we’re months away from that — months,” Belichick said. “Months away. Months. What plays are we calling? Mini-camp plays?”

Extension Candidate: Jordan Poyer

June 5th, 2022 at 10:02pm CST by Ely Allen

Heading into a contract year, Bills safety Jordan Poyer is set to represent a cap hit of $10.78MM on Buffalo’s books for the 2022 NFL season. This provides a rare situation in the NFL where it becomes beneficial for both parties to negotiate towards an extension. At 31-years-old, Poyer can likely find more money and a better fit in Buffalo than he could in free agency and a new contract would give the Bills an opportunity to soften Poyer’s cap hit. 

Poyer entered the league as a seventh-round pick for the Eagles in 2013. After being a healthy-scratch in Weeks 5 & 6 for Philadelphia, Poyer was waived, getting claimed off waivers by the Browns two days later. Poyer spent the next three seasons in Cleveland as a backup safety and backup punt returner. He earned four starts in 2015 when starting free safety Tashaun Gipson suffered an ankle injury. When Gipson left in free agency the next offseason, Poyer was named the Browns’ starting free safety going into the 2016 NFL season. After six starts, Poyer was hit by Antonio Andrews with an illegal blindside block while Poyer was covering a punt. Poyer was rushed to the hospital with a lacerated kidney and a possible concussion. He would miss the remainder of the season on injured reserve.

After his recovery, Poyer signed a four-year, $13MM deal with the Bills as a free agent. Bills head coach Sean McDermott named Poyer the starting strong safety alongside fellow-newcomer to Buffalo Micah Hyde, who had just signed as a free agent after four years in Green Bay. This would mark the beginning of a five-year, ongoing stretch as one of the league’s most consistent and effective safety duos.

Poyer and Hyde immediately made their presence known in Buffalo as both recorded five interceptions each in their first year as Bills. Over the last five seasons, Poyer has missed only two games while tallying 18 interceptions and 36 passes defensed. Despite outpacing Hyde for interceptions during their time in Buffalo, Poyer has also played with more versatility with time as a box safety. Poyer has forced six fumbles, recovering six, as well. He’s also added 10.0 sacks and 29.0 tackles for loss in his past five seasons, proving to be a true Swiss army knife in the Bills’ secondary.

Before his initial contract expired, Poyer signed his current two-year, $19.5MM extension, keeping him on the roster through 2022. Before the 2021 season, though, Buffalo and Poyer agreed to rework his contract, converting $5.2MM of his base salary into a signing bonus. The moved saved the Bills $2.6MM in cap space for 2021, but elevated Poyer’s 2022 cap hit from $7.7MM to his current $10.78MM number.

Being one of the older safeties in the NFL, Poyer is likely looking at a two- or three-year extension. Three years would be a very generous offer from the Bills based on knowing Poyer fits in their locker room and crediting him for having one of his best statistical seasons at 30-years-old. A two-year deal is much more likely.

Looking into value, the better safeties in the league are making anywhere from $13MM per year to $16MM per year. Taking his age and past deals into account, I imagine the Bills might offer Poyer something in the range of $12MM-$13.5MM in average annual value. My best guess would have Poyer signing a two-year, $25MM deal that gives him a good amount of guaranteed money.

The Bills have a good thing going with Poyer and Hyde manning centerfield. They haven’t been drafting to replace the duo and have no reason to until their play begins to decline. Vic Carucci of WGRZ in Buffalo thinks that training camp is the perfect time to extend their safety, saying Poyer is “far too valuable to leave him with any feelings of uncertainty about his future in Buffalo.”

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