Just say no to Poz

I can’t think of a time when I’ve gone back and forth about a team re-upping a player. No, I am not talking about Tim Connolly. Talking about Paul Posluzny. In a way, Connolly and Poz are kind of alike. Some fans think both players are overrated, while others think we need to re-sign them because we have no depth behind them. As I alluded to on previous posts, I want nothing to do with #19. Poz, on the other hand, I keep changing my mind on.

I’m sure you all know I am not a fan of Poz. I think he’s lousy in pass coverage, has issues going right to left and is overrated. However, I do get the points as to why some fans like him. If healthy, he’ll get you 130 tackles a season (Even though I think tackles can be overrated. See: Keith Ellison’s 2008 tackle totals). When I say he doesn’t burst through the line of scrimmage to make plays, the pro Poz crowd will say that not ever linebacker can do that. I get that Poz has never played behind a dominate defensive line. Ray Lewis owes a lot to Sam Adams, Tony Sirgusa and Haloti Ngata. I get all that.

However, do you really want to pay Poz anywhere between 6-8 million bucks a year?

I just can’t do it.

I’ve changed my mind multiple times over the last 6 months. When the season ended, I didn’t want anything to do with him. Then I looked at the free agent list for inside linebackers….EH. Awful. Just utterly terrible. After I went through the list, I felt like I was trying to figure out how to move a piano into a 10-floor walk-up apartment. It just makes your head hurt. So, from Feb-May, I was fine with Poz returning. However, something changed for me. I still can’t get out of my head when Chester Taylor dragged Poz on his back for a 3-yard gain during the Toronto game last year. Again, if you pay him that amount of money, he’s gotta be a top 10 linebacker…and I just don’t see it.

Look, if the Bills were a team like the Redskins or Cowboys, who didn’t give a crap about spending money, I’d be fine with it. However, if you look at the Bills track record of paying players, they are pretty careful as to where the money goes. It goes back to the Peerless Price deal. They didn’t trade him because they knew his career would go down the toilet. They did it because they didn’t want to have so much money invested in their wide receiving core. The Bills already have deals in the 5-million range with Merriman, Kelsay and Maybin. I know, there’s a chance they will cut one or two of those players, but if they re-up Poz for market value, I think that’s your linebacking core for the next 2-3 years.

If you look at the Bills roster over the years, they normally have 1 high priced guy per position. Take the last 5 years. Stroud made a ton of money on the d-line, while no one else really made serious bank. Terrence McGee is making a good living, but everyone else in the secondary is still on their rookie deals (Besides Florence). Lee Evans has always been their one guy to make money for the receiving core (Besides TO’s one season). The offensive line had Derek Dockery for two seasons, but no one else approached his bank account. Again, there’s a trend of having one high salary player per position.

If Poz gets 6-8 million, he’s going to be your main cog in the linebacking core and I just don’t feel comfortable with that. I don’t see them trying to upgrade.

Also, it should be noted and things can obviously change, the inside linebacker FAs look way better in 2012. Lawrence Timmons is a free agent and he’d fit like a glove for the Bills. I dont know if the Steelers would try and re-sign him, when they already have to take care of James Harrison and Lamar Woodley. How about Jon Beason from the Panthers? EJ Henderson from the Vikings? Brian Urlacher’s contract is up. Bradie James anyone?

I just think Poz isn’t worth that sort of money. If he came back for 5-million bucks, I’d be cool with it. However, if Chris Kelsay can get 6-million a year, you have to think Poz can do better.

We need to keep in perspective how we are in year two of a rebuilding program. It’s not like we are on the cusp of winning a Super Bowl. If Poz leaves, do you really think our team is going to miss him? I don’t. I’d rather upgrade at the position down the road. It’s a little bit like reaching for a QB in the draft this past year. I think by giving Poz a HUGE raise, you are doing the same. As much as having Andra Davis and Kelvin Sheppard start makes me a little queasy, I think the Bills should wait until next season to upgrade the ILB. I mean, what’s the hurry? We are on a 3-4 year program with them. You sign Poz, you are not going to sign anyone else. I just don’t feel comfortable with that.

I have to go back to my guy feeling after the season ended. I think as you get deeper and deeper into the offseason, you start over-thinking things. You start over analyzing rosters. “How can we live without Poz?!” Well, we lived with him and judging by his impact, I wouldn’t have known it.