The upcoming NFL free agency market will now have Jordan Poyer available for pickup, as the Buffalo Bills are releasing their former All-Pro safety in a Wednesday salary cap move.
With Poyer’s credentials as an All-Pro and past Pro Bowl performer, he’s bound to draw significant interest ahead of the official signing period set for March 13. Time to take a closer look at who presents the best fit for the veteran safety.
Jordan Poyer Free Agency Predictions 2024
Before diving into where his fits could be, here’s why the Bills made the move.
Via ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, Poyer is a part of the Bills’ attempt at creating approximately $25.96 million in cap space ahead of the official signing period (the legal league tampering period, though, begins March 11). Schefter added how the Bills’ flooded roster got Buffalo $40 million over the cap. Poyer carried a cap number of $7.5 million.
At 32, Poyer may not qualify for a lengthy contract for his next team. He could be considered for a cheaper deal, but one that puts him on an aspiring contender. Here are the top places where Poyer fills a need.
Poyer Gives NFC Champion 49ers Safety Help
After watching Patrick Mahomes win the Super Bowl 58 Most Valuable Player trophy by racking up 333 yards against San Francisco, the 49ers have already begun thinking about a retooling of the secondary.
With Tashaun Gipson a free agent, the Niners can replace one past Pro Bowler with another.
Poyer is a savvy downhill tackler who has produced 37 tackles for a loss in an 11-season career, and that includes the nine and eight TFLs he produced in 2018 and 2021, respectively, with the Bills. He’ll bring the needed box presence for a Niners defense that’ll welcome back a healthier Talanoa Hufanga, who missed all of 2023 with a torn ACL.
While Poyer didn’t intercept a pass last season for Buffalo, he has produced four different campaigns that saw him reach 4-5 picks — which signifies that he’s got a ball-hawking skill set. Overall, the 49ers would likely love his leadership and tackling if brought over.
Dolphins Could Add Poyer To Finally Topple the Bills
Noted by PFN Dolphins reporter Adam Beasley, Miami has to take a liking to watching the Bills’ roster purge.
For a team seeking to overtake the AFC East, there’s no better way for the Dolphins to do just that than to make a run at the newly available former Bills. That includes bolstering the secondary with Poyer. Beasley is already envisioning one strong possibility involving the Dolphins.
“Take a moment to imagine White and Poyer — who have six combined interceptions in their careers against the Dolphins — in a defensive backfield with Jalen Ramsey and Jevon Holland. It’s an intriguing short-term possibility,” Beasley writes.
Sounds like an AFC Pro Bowl secondary. There is room in South Beach considering Miami has already severed ties with Pro Bowler Xavien Howard. Poyer, again, wouldn’t be labeled a bank-breaking addition if lured in here.
Seahawks Present Reunion Possibility for Poyer
Seattle is undergoing a new era, turning to Mike MacDonald. However, he’s hired an assistant Poyer is familiar with: Poyer’s longtime defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.
Poyer delivered his best league moments with Frazier calling the defense. Now, with Frazier likely to have some of his own input in the Seahawks’ defense, Poyer is the perfect leader to show the ways of the scheme.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Top 100 Free Agent Rankings
There’s room for Poyer to be added as well. Seattle has already decided to release not one but two of its safeties, Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams, with both being released on Tuesday.
Here’s another part that gives Seattle leverage in making a run at Poyer: He’s a Pacific Northwest guy, having grown up in Oregon and starring for Oregon State. Poyer’s addition can signify the Seahawks’ desire to return to the playoffs.
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