Missed time because of injuries will keep Bills' Jordan Poyer from reaching lucrative incentives

The Bills are 11-0 in games Poyer has played this season and just 1-3 in games he has missed. Poyer missed the Week 3 loss at Miami, the Week 5 win over Pittsburgh and the losses to the Jets and Vikings in Weeks 9 and 10 because of an elbow injury.

Poyer is questionable for Monday night's game against Cincinnati because of a knee injury but expected to play. He told ESPN's Lisa Salter before the game that he has been playing with a torn meniscus. The report did not say when the original injury happened.

That missed time will cost him financially.

Poyer’s contract contains incentives that allow him to earn up to an additional $2 million this season after the Bills and Poyer renegotiated an increase in the maximum incentives available from $500,000 in September. The increased incentives package came after Poyer went public with his desire for a new contract, and was seen as a good-faith effort by the team to reward him for his strong play, which included making the All-Pro team last year. No new deal has been reached, and the 31-year-old Poyer is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March.

The website spotrac.com provided the full list of available incentives, and four are tied to the number of snaps Poyer plays this season. He has a $500,000 potential bonus for playing 92% of the defensive snaps, as well as $500,000 bonuses for playing 90% of the defensive snaps and each of the following: 12 teams, top 10 team sack rank, top six team turnover margin.

Poyer, though, will not be able to collect any bonuses tied to playing time. Currently, he’s played 687 defensive snaps, which is 69.9% of the team total. With just two games remaining in the regular season, Poyer won’t reach 90%.

He has earned a $500,000 bonus for being selected to the Pro Bowl and does have a chance at some others. Poyer currently has four interceptions. If he gets to six, he’ll earn a $750,000 bonus. If he returns an interception for a touchdown, he’ll earn $250,000.

His previous incentives arrangement paid $250,000 for three interceptions, which he had eclipsed in the first four games he played this season.

Poyer does not have a fumble recovery. If he gets one, he’ll earn $250,000. Two fumble recoveries would pay $300,000, and five of them – which is quite unlikely in two games – would be worth $500,000.

Poyer was eligible for any combination of incentives, but a maximum of $2 million total.