The Payments had been down practically half their beginning protection by the point their near-annual Chiefs playoff matchup occurred, however Micah Hyde was one of many cogs out there. Hyde returned in 2023 after lacking a lot of the 2022 season as a result of a neck harm.
Hyde’s second Payments contract — a two-year, $19.25M extension — expired after the season, and the veteran security stays a free agent. A pivotal addition in Sean McDermott‘s first offseason, Hyde shouldn’t be planning to go away Buffalo. Hyde mentioned Thursday (through WGRZ’s Jon Scott) that his 2024 plans encompass both re-signing with the Payments or retiring. Although, he has not selected taking part in once more simply but.
“I actually don’t know,” Hyde mentioned, through the Buffalo Information’ Jay Skurski. “You guys know … how troublesome it was with my neck and having these stingers. So I simply mentioned, let me get away from it a bit bit. And if the time comes and the juices get flowing once more, then we’ll attempt to give it a spin. However, there’s no rush in any respect on my aspect.”
Hyde, 33, went down in Week 3 of the 2022 season, resulting in Damar Hamlin‘s run of begins alongside Jordan Poyer. The seven-year Payments contributor returned final 12 months in what turned out to be his final run with Poyer in Buffalo. Hyde began 14 video games and intercepted two passes. Professional Soccer Focus graded the Iowa alum simply outdoors the highest 50 on the place. He additionally suffered two stingers, lacking three video games, upon coming back from the neck situation. Previous his prime, Hyde may even see his pledge examined as a result of Payments’ offseason exercise.
Buffalo launched Poyer a 12 months after re-signing him, doing so shortly earlier than re-signing Taylor Rapp. The Payments additionally added latest Chiefs fill-in starter Mike Edwards. Their most notable security addition, nevertheless, got here within the draft; the Payments selected Utah’s Cole Bishop in Spherical 2. This assortment, which nonetheless options Hamlin, stands to complicate a Hyde return. That mentioned, the Payments will likely be a lot lighter on expertise at this place in comparison with the previous a number of years.
One of many longest-running security tandems in fashionable NFL historical past, Hyde and Poyer gave the Payments a top-flight back-line duo for seven seasons. Hyde’s neck harm got here a 12 months after his second All-Professional season. The Payments made strikes to chop prices at a number of positions this offseason, transferring on from Poyer, Mitch Morse, Tre’Davious White and each of their prime huge receivers (although, the Stefon Diggs transfer was not precisely a money-saver). That mentioned, Hyde wouldn’t qualify — particularly given the state of the protection market — as a participant who would command an excessive amount of to return. His lack of need to play elsewhere clearly would play into the Payments’ arms.
Hyde has been cleared to play, and GM Brandon Beane mentioned earlier this offseason he didn’t anticipate the 11-year vet to retire. It seems probably the group will strive its present setup at security, however Hyde not being concerned about relocating would stand to provide the Payments an insurance coverage possibility — ought to the ex-Packer certainly persist with his Buffalo-or-bust pledge — within the occasion its youthful crew underwhelms within the months to come back.
