Micah Hyde is back with the Buffalo Bills for his 11th NFL season after missing most of the 2022 season because of a herniated disk. Matt Durisko/Associated Press
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Bills safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer have been essentially inseparable since arriving in Buffalo and signing free-agent contracts mere hours apart on March 10, 2017.
With a nod of the head, one has come to instinctually know where the other is going before the ball is snapped. Off the field, the two have formed such a tight bond they finish each other’s sentences whenever paired at the podium for a news conference.
So it was with little surprise following a recent training camp session when Hyde, followed separately by Poyer, reflected on the passing of time, how fortunate they are to have at least one more year together, and the urgency they feel to succeed after what each endured last season, and the uncertainty the experiences raised.
“I thought I was done,” Hyde said, referring to fearing his career being over after having season-ending surgery to repair a herniated disk in October.
“So to be in this situation right now with my babies here, having my wife here, I can’t even put into words how amazing it is … because I love where I’m at in my life,” he added with his 3-year-old son on his lap, and a nod toward Poyer. “It’s a blessing to have him back, also, because I know I play my best game when he’s healthy.”
Poyer’s return to Buffalo was uncertain for contractual reasons, and concerns the Bills lacked the salary cap space to re-sign him. Rather than start fresh elsewhere, Poyer chose the familiarity of Buffalo, signing a two-year deal.
“It’s just the way the universe works, man,” said Poyer, who called Hyde immediately after after agreeing to re-sign. “I’m just trying to take it all in, be present in these moments. I’m not worried about what’s going to happen this offseason or next year.
“This is my time. This is our time.”
Barring injury, Hyde and Poyer will open their seventh season as Buffalo’s starting safety tandem. They represent the NFL’s longest active-serving starting safety duo, with the next closest being Arizona’s Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson, and Denver’s Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson, who have been working together since 2019.
Few safety tandems have been together longer than Hyde and Poyer.
Since the NFL merger, Carnell Lake and Darren Perry served as the Steelers’ opening-day starters for seven straight seasons (1992-98). Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark played together for eight straight seasons (2006-2013), though Clark missed the the 2012 opener in Denver because he couldn’t play at altitude.
Hyde and Poyer are both 32. Their arrival in Buffalo coincided with the hiring of Coach Sean McDermott, who had a major say in targeting both in free agency in his vision to rebuild a team that had gone 17 years without a playoff berth. Ever since, with Hyde and Poyer taking on a larger leadership role, the Bills have made the postseason in five of the past six seasons and are three-time defending AFC East champions.
“I’ll forever be indebted to those guys,” McDermott said. “They’ve been big-time catalysts for what we’ve done and the success that we’ve experienced when we got this thing going in 2017.”
The Bills’ secondary has even more continuity when factoring in cornerback Tre’Davious White, a starter since his rookie season in 2017. Then there’s Taron Johnson, who was drafted in 2018, and took over the nickelback role in 2020.
As the team’s elder statesmen, Hyde and Poyer are focused on what few opportunities they might have left.
“The young guys probably think at times I’m psycho,” Hyde said of his desire to win.
Poyer is so focused on the present, he made a conscious decision to rid himself of the distractions – and negativity – of social media.
“Guys that I’ve been here with for seven years, I want to be the best version of myself for them,” said Poyer. “This is what I do. This is why I love to do it. I’m playing football with my guys.”
RAIDERS: Josh Jacobs’ absence in training camp has created opportunities for other running backs to show they should be a major part of the rotation this season.
They better take advantage of it.
Coach Josh McDaniels shot down the notion the Raiders likely would go with a more equitable distribution of carries even if the NFL’s leading rusher last season is back in the lineup. Jacobs is sitting out after not agreeing to a long-term contract.
“You go with what’s the best thing to do for the team, and certainly that was (Jacobs) last year and I wouldn’t expect that to be different this year,” McDaniels said. “But every game is a little different, every situation is a little different, the health of the team, etc. These guys all have great opportunities right now and that’s what they are focused on and trying to control their improvement day to day, and they are working really hard at doing that.”
Zamir White, drafted in the fourth round last year out of Georgia, has been taking first-team snaps. He played in 14 games last season, but had only 17 carries for 70 yards.
Jacobs was handed the ball 340 times, rushing for 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also caught 53 passes for 400 yards.
Jacobs is not paying a financial penalty for missing camp, but he would sacrifice more than half a million dollars a game if he doesn’t report in time for the season. That seems unlikely.
What is more probable is Jacobs signs the franchise tag tender and the $10.1 million that comes with it, or negotiates a one-year deal similar to what Saquon Barkley did with the New York Giants. Barkley agreed to an incentive-laden one-year, $11 million deal on July 26.
TITANS: Being ejected from consecutive training camp practices cost offensive lineman Jamarco Jones his job.
The Titans waived Jones about three hours after he did not finish practice following a blindside block on linebacker Chance Campbell. Jones was sent off the field after a brief skirmish Tuesday with two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons.
Asked if Thursday’s block was clean, Titans Coach Mike Vrabel said no, and that’s not how they want to practice because it would be a penalty in a game. Vrabel had labeled Jones a contender to start at right tackle when the Titans reported for training camp July 25.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
