After the Buffalo Bills‘ postseason journey came to an abrupt end, the focus turned toward the team’s key group of pending free agents, most notably, the futures of safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Because the Bills are approximately $20 million over the salary cap for next season, keeping both players seemed next to impossible.
While the writing appeared to be on the wall with Poyer, 31, after the Bills neglected to give him the extension he asked for ahead of the 2022 NFL season, it made sense for Buffalo to prioritize investing in their 24-year-old linebacker, who led the team with 102 tackles this season, and whose prime years still lay ahead.
However, on March 8, ESPN’s lead insider Adam Schefter dropped a bombshell regarding Edmunds’ future while discussing the Bills’ decision not to utilize the franchise tag on NFL Live, which general manager Brandon Beane had alluded to while speaking to the media at the NFL Combine last week.
Amid the discussion of the Bills losing Leslie Frazier as defensive coordinator and how Poyer is expected to land with another team, Schefter interjects to say, “They’re also expected to lose Tremaine Edmunds in Buffalo, as well. A free agent – And I don’t think he’ll be back in Buffalo.”
Here’s the Adam Schefter clip on the futures of #Bills free agents Jordan Poyer & Tremaine Edmunds—He does say “expected to lose” & specifies more toward Edmunds, but it was also a bit of a throwaway line at the end of a segment on Poyer not being franchise tagged: pic./oex67TMJRB
— Nick () March 8, 2023
While this could merely be Schefter’s opinion, for the most plugged-in analyst in the NFL to arrive at this conclusion — it’s hard to ignore. The Bills exercised Edmunds’ fifth-year option back in March 2021, which was worth $12.71 million. According to Spotrac.com, his market value dictates an expected four-year, $44 million offer in free agency, but it could end up being much higher than that. Pro Football Focus projects Edmunds will land a three-year, $45.75 million with $28.5 million total guaranteed.
While Edmunds has been a polarizing figure among fans over the past few years, he excelled in 2022, earning a 79.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus …read more
Source:: Heavy.com