Bills training camp opens and a contract extension may be near for a key player
Even though Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane brushed it off as a convenient scheduling occurrence, the fact that super agent Drew Rosenhaus was in town Sunday means the Jordan Poyer contract negotiations must be getting close to a conclusion.
“Drew and I have a great relationship, as do us and Jordan,” Beane said following the Bills’ first practice at St. John Fisher University. “Drew and I have many conversations. This just happened to work out for him to come up here and do this to start camp.”
Poyer made it abundantly clear that he wants his contract - which expires after the 2022 season - to be re-worked, and with that, he wants more years and more money, especially guaranteed money.
He skipped the entire Bills’ offseason program, all of which is voluntary, and then showed up only for the mandatory two-day minicamp in mid-June. However, there was never a thought of not reporting on time to Fisher.
“I want to be here so that’s just how I feel. I want to be here,” Poyer said. “My agent is here today and I know him and Beane are talking things through. I’m just excited to be back out here and playing football again with my teammates. It’s been a journey, but I’m excited to play football and to continue to get better.”
Poyer may have skipped all of the OTAs, but he worked out on his own down in South Florida, and one thing that pushed him to grind, he said, was hearing all the talk about how the Bills might be wise to pass on an extension because he’s 31 years old.
“I still feel like I can play at a high level for a few years,” he said. “This is probably one of the strongest offseasons that I’ve had. Coming into it, all I’ve heard is Jordan’s age and this and that. That continued to motivate me in the offseason and I want to show that I want to be here. I want to continue to be a leader for this team and continue to do what I can to help this team win football games.”
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Poyer is coming off perhaps his best season since joining the Bills in 2017 as he tied his career high with five interceptions and was one of the key members of a defense that ranked No. 1 in both points and yards allowed.
He earned first-team All-Pro honors, and he felt that entitled him to a monetary adjustment, though he’s not exactly underpaid. In the last year of his current contract, he’s set to cost $10.7 million on the salary cap, the sixth-highest figure on the team.
“I love the city. I love these fans. This is my sixth year out here and I really feel part of this community,” he said. “I do a lot of stuff in the community. A lot of people out here obviously know my story and what I’ve gone through in order to really be just sitting right here in this seat right here, and it’s really special.”
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Coach Sean McDermott said prior to the opening practice that everyone was in Pittsford, though a few players won’t be participating, maybe for the entire stay at Fisher.
Cornerback Tre’Davious White is still recovering from his knee surgery from last November, offensive lineman Ike Boettger is still battling back from a torn Achilles, and defensive lineman Eli Ankou is dealing with a recently-incurred calf injury so they all start on the physically unable to perform list.
The surprise was that free agent acquisition Rodger Saffold, who is being counted on to start at left guard, suffered an injury to his rib cage in a recent car accident, so he will start camp on the Non-Football Injury list.
“Recent as of the last couple of weeks,” McDermott said when asked when the accident occurred. “We’re always concerned for the guys off the field, and obviously anyone involved in that accident, the same, but I feel confident that he’ll be back in due time.”
In the first practice, Cody Ford took the left guard reps with the first-team offensive line, and David Quessenberry was at right tackle as Spencer Brown - who missed all of the offseason program - needs to get up to speed.
“I don’t want to say behind, I think he would say it’ll be knocking some rust off here a little bit,” McDermott said of Brown’s early activity at camp. “We’re going to take it one period and one practice at a time. He missed a portion of last year (with injuries and COVID) and then obviously all the offseason, but he’s worked his tail off to get back and put himself in a position where he can go out there on that field this morning.”
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Regarding the status of White, McDermott was vague on where his rehab stands, but it seems a certainty that he won’t be practicing any time soon, certainly not at Fisher.
“He’s on schedule,” McDermott said. “He looks really good. He’s working his tail off and I mean, Tre is a consummate pro. So that has not changed and we’re just excited to get him back when we can get him back. He’s on schedule with what the trainers are telling me what’s on schedule. I think he’s got a great look in his eye, I know what he’s working back towards, and other than that, that’s all I can say.”
A new experience for Von Miller
The free agent edge rusher is making his first appearance at Fisher after signing a $120 million contract to join the Bills back in March. And for the 12th-year veteran, this is a whole new experience being away for training camp.
During his 11 seasons in Denver, the Broncos conducted their training camp at their team facility, so Miller is sleeping in a dorm room for the first time since his days at Texas A&M.
“It’s different being 33 and in the dorm room,” he said with a smile. “But it’s bigger than just your individual preference. It’s all about camaraderie and getting to know your teammates and stuff, which I’m all about. I’ve been a team guy my whole entire career. This college environment, this college atmosphere is really where I flourish.
“It started at Texas A&M, we were in dorms just like this for training camp and that’s where you pull all the guys together, that’s where you earn the respect and the trust of your teammates.”
There are some down sides, though.
“The toilet paper’s different, the beds are different, there’s no TV in the dorm room,” he said, laughing. “You’ve got to make up your bed and change it and do all of that stuff every day. It takes some getting used to, but I’m all for it.”
Miller admitted to being impressed by the size of the crowd, and he said that it will be fun to interact with fans during the Bills’ stay.
“It’s hard to say no (to signing autographs) to come over and do this interview,” he said. “You just want to shake hands and kiss babies and sign autographs and do all that stuff. You really just want to be a pleaser to all these guys, man. The energy is just so great.”
Game on between Beane, Josh Allen
The two avid golfers played at Oak Hill Country Club last week and while Allen said he shot a quite respectable 83, Beane - a single-digit handicap - did not divulge his score, though he did say Allen beat him.
“We were in different groups, he beat me. Yeah. Not happy,” said Beane, who is about as competitive in golf as Allen as in football. “We’re gonna have to find a way to get back over there.”
Allen let it be known that he’s a better stick than what he showed in The Match last month when he and Patrick Mahomes lost to Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, and Allen struggled most of the night in Las Vegas.
“I know you guys saw The Match … but I had a few really good rounds in the last week and a half,” said Allen “Lake Tahoe, I did good Day 1, then Day 2 and 3, not so much. Had a little bit too much fun there, but of course right when I get toward the end of the (golf) season, my golf game kind of gets to a point where I feel like I know what I’m doing, but then you put the clubs away for five months and it’s starting fresh for February.”
When he was asked what he thinks Brady would shoot at Oak Hill, he coyly said, “I plead the fifth.”
As for the start of camp, Allen looked like a little kid, so excited was he to be back at Fisher practicing in front of the fans. And what’s nice is that he’s genuine about it; he really loves making a kid’s day with some personal interaction.
“I’m always one of the last guys on the field trying to sign for the kids and make sure I wave or fist bump or high five,” he said. “I remember being that kid, looking up to people that I’m in the position of now. So just trying to show how much I appreciate and love Bills Mafia for coming out and supporting us. It’s so fun to be out here.”
Sal Maiorana can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills training camp opens, key player may get contract extension
