When fans heard that the Buffalo Bills had signed the Green Bay Packers’ Micah Hyde, most were shocked. Why hadn’t anyone heard of this deal? How did this awesome deal transpire? Here is why the Bills stole Hyde from the Packers.
Chock full of versatility
Micah Hyde is a versatile athlete. Said Hyde in a press conference today, at stated by the Buffalo News, “I’m a defensive back that returns punts. That’s what I do.” With the cutting of safety Aaron Williams, and cornerback Stephon Gilmore jumping ship to play with the AFC rival New England Patriots, Buffalo needed a solid, strong player to fill those holes.
He can play special teams, cornerback, and safety, which is a win-win for Buffalo.
Kickoffs and punts
Hyde’s ability as a special teams player is a great asset for Buffalo. In 4 seasons, he has almost 1600 yards on kickoff and punt returns. Buffalo’s Brandon Tate did well as a punt returner this year, but they need another guy. Having a short field will also help Tyrod Taylor, who will be proving his worth this year as a franchise quarterback.
Big moments in playoffs
When the Packers needed to make big plays in the playoffs, Hyde stepped up his game. He picked off the Detroit Lions’ Matthew Stafford and the Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott at the end of both games to help Green Bay pull off victories.
His ability to read quarterbacks is great for the Bills. In the past two seasons, Hyde has 6 interceptions.
Happy to be with team
Many players have seemed to use Buffalo as a springboard to develop their skills in the hopes of switching to another team down the line. Sure, the city is cold at times and the Bills have been out of the playoffs for 17 years, but their record has been better the past three years at 24-24.
In his press conference, Hyde seemed happy about playing for Buffalo. All it may take is a couple more plays to go the teams’ way to end up with a 10-6 record and playoff bound. The team was in every game that they played this year and ranked in the top ten for offense. Yet, their defense gave up many big plays, which is where Hyde can step in and be a formidable force.
Welcome to Buffalo, Micah Hyde.
