Pro Bowl defender yet to sign franchise tag as contract discussions continue between parties.
Buffalo Bills stud free safety Jairus Byrd is not expected to participate in the team’s voluntary off-season conditioning workouts, as he is still locked in contract negotiations with the organisation.
Source: NFL.com
Despite being offered the team’s franchise tag, that will see the safety earn $6.9m for the 2013 season, Byrd has refused to sign the contract, prolonging the contract hold out.
The 26-year old has become the most important piece in the Bills defence since being drafted by the team in 2010. Making the Pro Bowl twice, the safety has dramatically helps the team in pass coverage, and is the cornerstone of a defence that is slowly beginning to build in quality.
The contract dispute between the player and team may rumble on throughout the Summer, as Byrd feels he may be worth a contract that puts him up at the top of highest paid safeties in the league.
Whether the Bills believe they have the salary cap space to fulfill these demands is the big question surrounding the negotiations Signing Mario Williams to a large free agent last season may hamper the team in locking down other elite talent long term could be a big problem.
Losing Jairus Byrd to another team under those circumstances would be a catastrophic mistake by general manager Buddy Nix, and could very well set the team back a long way by losing their best defensive player.
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