It feels inevitable that the Buffalo Bills will lose safety Jordan Poyer this offseason. 

Poyer, who will turn 32 next month, said recently that he'd like to play in a state that doesn't take half of his money. He also made a comment about wanting to "see the sun", seemingly indicating that he'd prefer to play in a different climate. 

While it's still possible that Poyer could return to the Bills in 2023, it feels unlikely at this point. 

ESPN suggested this week that Buffalo should swipe a key player from one of their top AFC rivals — the Cincinnati Bengals (oh, it's a rivalry now with Josh Allen and Joe Burrow under for their respective squads). 

They think the Bills should sign safety Jessie Bates in free agency. 

From ESPN: Jordan Poyer is probably leaving in free agency and needs a replacement. Damar Hamlin's eventual return to the field will be a fantastic story, but the Bills can't count on it happening by September. So why not steal a young (age 26) star defensive player from one of the AFC's other top contenders? Bates ranked sixth among safeties last season in SIS' points saved metric. The Bills like to use their safeties interchangeably, and Bates' ability to both play deep and cover from the box makes him an excellent partner for Micah Hyde.

There's very little chance the Bengals re-sign Bates. 

Cincinnati tried to work out an extension with Bates over the last two years. The former Wake Forest standout played on the franchise tag this past season after extension talks failed last summer. 

The Bengals are set to give big extensions to Burrow (this offseason) and Ja'Marr Chase (next offseason). As a result, they're choosing to let Bates walk in free agency. 

Bates is six years younger than Poyer so he would instantly give the Bills some youth on the defensive side of the ball. 

The Indiana native is also a tremendous leader in the locker room. Bates is the definition of a pro. He didn't love playing on the franchise tag last season, but he showed up and played as if he was on a longterm deal. Bates never let his contract situation become a distraction and he never let it impact his play on the field. 

Signing Bates to replace Poyer would be a low-risk move. It could also help the Bills get past the Bengals in the playoffs (maybe Bates could share some valuable information).

I'm not sure there's a better replacement for Poyer that's available. Bates is a perfect fit for the Bills. This should be a no-brainer for Buffalo.