The Buffalo Bills are going to look dramatically different in 2024. After going all-in on Josh Allen’s rookie window, the bill has officially come due. On Wednesday, the team released several key starters, sending guys like Mitch Morse, Tre’Davious White, and Jordan Poyer to the free agent market as Buffalo tried to get under the salary cap.
Over the past few years, Poyer and Micah Hyde have formed one of the best safety duos in football. Now, it appears as though neither player will be back in the upcoming season. The Bills desperately needed the $5.7 million in cap space his release provided, and Jordan Poyer is now free to sign with a new team as a free agent.
5 Teams That Could Sign Free Agent Safety Jordan Poyer
At his best, Poyer was one of the most dominant safeties in football. After spending his early years with the Cleveland Browns, Jordan Poyer joined the Bills as a free agent in 2017 and immediately became one of the most reliable safeties in the game. Providing strong coverage and solid run support, the former seventh-round pick earned First-Team All-Pro honors in 2021 and made another Pro Bowl in 2022.
Now entering his age-33 season, Jordan Poyer is starting to slow down a little bit, but the free agent is still a solid starter. He’s not going to break the bank like he would’ve in his younger days, but several teams should be interested in adding him to their secondary.
Best Team Fits
New Orleans Saints
In most years, the Saints wouldn’t be able to afford a free agent like Jordan Poyer. However, with the market saturated with starting-quality talent, there is a chance that a player like Poyer could slip through the cracks. Dennis Allen needs to start winning games if he wants to keep his job, and pairing Poyer with Tyrann Mathieu is a good way to get that job done.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions signed CJ Gardner-Johnson to be a tough enforcer who can provide adequate coverage on the back end. That didn’t work out, as the former Saints spent the majority of the season on the injured reserve and wasn’t too effective even when he was in the lineup. Armed with plenty of cap space, the Lions have the financial resources to go after a free agent like Jordan Poyer and still add a pass rusher or two. Detroit has the offensive pieces to win a Super Bowl, now they just need to build a complementary defense.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers have a young core of great players, but now they need to complement that group with an experienced veteran who knows how to win. Jordan Poyer is an ideal free agent signing, as not only can he provide that veteran leadership, but he’s also an upgrade on former first-round pick Darnell Savage. With Poyer in and former defensive coordinator Joe Barry gone, the sky is the limit for this team.
Baltimore Ravens
The chances of Jordan Poyer signing with the Ravens as a free agent entirely depend on how much action he gets on the open market. Baltimore can’t afford to re-sign all of their free agents, and Geno Stone is one of the most likely candidates to receive a big payday elsewhere. This means that the Ravens will need to find a reliable third safety, and Poyer could be a fit for the role if he can’t find a true starting job with one of the other 31 teams.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers need multiple starting-caliber players in their secondary, and Jordan Poyer could be a good cost-effective signing in free agency. While he’s not the player he once was, he’s still an upgrade on the current depth chart and could form one of the league’s better safety duos with Derwin James.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
