So long…

tln_tomas_kaberle_15_february_2011

I’ll try and make this quick on Poz. If you need a history lesson, just read here. I think that pretty much says it all. Again, Poz is overrated. If he wasn’t Polish, and fans didn’t have visions of Shane Conlan running onto that field when #51 was drafted, no one would buy his jersey. He can’t cover, he can’t make plays in the backfield, he doesn’t run well left to right, and Chester Taylor ran him over last year in Toronto.

With all that, do you really wanna give him a 6-year deal?

I don’t.

If you do that, he becomes your best linebacker. Yeah, I know, sometimes, we shouldn’t put too much thought into what players make, but when you are dealing with the Bills, who are always careful where they spend their money, every nickel counts. I don’t want to settle for mediocrity in the long-term. He’s just not good enough. Period.

Sure, not signing him leaves a hole in the defense, but frankly, it was already there. Poz played behind a nose tackle who some said was a top 5 defensive linemen last year, and how much of an impact did #51 have?

Not much.

Would I like the Bills to address ILB? Yeah, but the guys who are out there are poor. However, as I alluded to in my Poz piece, they can address it next year. Poz was never going to be a player to help the Bills get to the next level. Plus, with the leftover money, they can fill other needs like RT, CB and QB. I think it’s better to find a legit, play-making linebacker next year. It goes back to not acting desperate, IE: To not reach for a QB the last two years.

You give Poz that sort of deal, you are reaching for your ILB. I want my inside linebacker to be awesome. I want him to make plays. As a complimentary LB, Poz is fine. Put him next to Ray Lewis and he’d be great. However, the Bills were going to pay him to be “The Man”…and he’s just not. 

Now, if you want me to pick on something, it’s how by some reports, the Bills tried everything to get him to return. Instead, he choose Jacksonville? Jacksonville? The Jags? Jack Del Rio chopping wood in the locker room? A team that also may be moving to LA? I don’t wanna say recruiting problem, but..eh..Maybe it had to do with playing in a 4-3 rather than a 3-4, but that’s kind of a kick in the nuts for the Bills. It also may make the Bills go into desperation mode to spend to the cap and overpay for other players.

Even still, I am fine with him leaving. I seriously doubt I am going to sit here this year and say, “Man, we really needed Poz on that drive!” Um, yeah, go back to how the Bills rush defense played against the Jets the last two seasons. Lastly, we aren’t going to the playoffs with or without Poz this year. We are rebuilding and I don’t think Poz should be a pillar in that process.

(Editor’s note: Poz’s deal is believed to be worth 7-million a year. Repeat after me: NOT WORTH THE MONEY. That’s pretty much what I expected him to get in the open market.)

Arrow to top