New NFL Contract Could Hurt the Bills Chances of Keeping Jordan Poyer

The Buffalo Bills are just about five weeks away from the start of training camp at St. John Fisher College in Rochester.

First thing's first, however, as they have to get through the remaining two days of mandatory minicamp at One Bills Drive.

Get our free mobile app

The Bills have 100 percent attendance at minicamp in Orchard Park, and that includes veteran safety, Jordan Poyer.

Poyer is entering the final year of his current contract, and skipped all of OTA's in May and early June. He hired a new agent in Drew Rosenhaus and the feeling is he wants a new contract extension.

While it may seem like a no-brainer to give Poyer a long-term deal, the salary cap ramifications are a real concern for a Bills team who already has big time contracts with heavy money invested into players.

Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Dion Dawkins, Tre'Davious White and Matt Milano got new contracts  or contract extensions with big salary cap hits in the past 18 months.

Spotrac has the Bills projected salary cap space at negative $18 million next spring (the start of the new league year in March), which means general manager Brandon Beane has to make tough decisions on players. Reworked contracts will also be in play.

One domino that could determine whether or not Poyer signs an extension in Buffalo, took place in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

The Steelers have signed safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to a new four-year contract extension, worth over $18.4 million per season and $36 million guaranteed.

Fitzpatrick is now the highest-paid safety in NFL history.

Poyer is 31 years old but had his best season in 2021 and will likely have two or three great years left in him. But will het get that new contract extension he's seeking?

If Beane can somehow sign Poyer to a deal close to Fitzpatrick's, then that likely means other players like Tremaine Edmunds and Devin Singletary are gone.

Tight end Dawson Knox also needs a new contract after 2022, and he might be deemed the most important because of his mismatch abilities against linebackers and safeties in a pass-heavy offense.

The Bills have their work cut out for them in contract negotiations.