The Saints plan to release safety Jairus Byrd at the start of free agency next week, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.
Byrd, 30, still had three years left on the six-year contract he signed with the Saints before the 2014 season. He had three interceptions in three seasons with the Saints.
The Saints need playmakers as they try to rebuild their defense, and they’ll absorb a cap hit of $8 million to move on from Byrd. He played in all 16 games last season for the first time since 2012.
The Bills drafted Byrd in the second round in 2009, and he led the NFL with nine interceptions as a rookie. The Bills recently hired his father, Gill Byrd, as their defensive backs coach.
