Jairus Byrd Has Surgery On Groin, Out Indefinitely

The contract issues between Byrd and the Bills appear to have been resolved for the moment. The Bills at one point wanted the roster exemption granted to them by the NFL to extend into the regular season. If the NFL obliged, Byrd could have missed out on a game checks, costing him $406,823.53 for each game played during his exemption. Curiously, Byrd could still practice and play during this period, and the Bills’ would be allowed to carry 54 players.

Ultimately, the NFL decided that Byrd’s roster exemption would only extend through the end of preseason, meaning the Bills will head into the regular season with 53 players including Byrd, who will likely be starting despite the posturing on both sides of the contract. In the end, it appears that Byrd simply wanted to play for the Bills, and likewise the Bills needed Byrd’s presence in the secondary.

Byrd, who finished tied for first in the NFL last year with nine interceptions, will be out indefinitely. Gailey said the team in hopeful that Byrd will return by the team’s regular season opener, but could not make any assurances.

Of course, this news flies in the face of what Gailey said on Tuesday, when he cautioned against worries about Byrd’s condition.