Should the Bills re-sign: Paul Posluszny?

   Most people think the Bills did a pretty good job during this year's draft.  Assuming the NFL gets back to work soon, the front office still has plenty of work to do in free agency if they are hoping to be more competitive in 2011.
   While much of the focus is on new free agents the Bills could bring in, we shouldn't forget about those current players that need to be re-signed.  As notoriously bad as they've been in spotting college talent, Buffalo has been equally horrific at letting veteran talent get away.
   This week, I'm going to shed a spotlight some of the Bills unrestricted free agents and whether they are worth the cost to bring back.  The first will be on fan-favorite, Paul Posluszny.

Size:                 6'1, 238 lbs
Position:           Linebacker
Selected:          2007 draft, second round (34th overall)
Age:                 26 years old (turns 27 in October)

  
  

   "Poz" is certainly a player that splits the opinions of people who watch the Bills every weekend.
   Some believe he's a consistently good player that always seems to be near the ball, racking up tons of tackles despite a weak cast around him.  Others say he's a liability, playing a primary position (inside linebacker) on one of the worst running defenses in the league.
   Since entering the NFL, the biggest concern about Posluszny has been with injuries, costing him close to 20 games during his first four seasons.  He's broken the same arm twice and suffered injuries to his groin and right knee.  When looking at a contract extension, it should be considered that health concerns generally get worse with age.
   On the production end, Posluszny reached the 150-tackle barrier for the first time in 2010.  He's crossed 100 tackles each of the last three seasons, despite missing time with injuries.  Similar to the man he was drafted to replace (London Fletcher), Posluszny has often been criticized for letting ballcarriers come to him, rather than making plays closer to the line.  His big playmaking ability is also questionable, notching only three sacks and four interceptions in his career so far.
   Posluszny has shown some versatility in various defensive schemes, playing equally well in both the 4-3 and 3-4 formats.  Because of his size and talent level, Poz is probably more suited to play the middle in a 3-4, which figures to be the Bills main setup in 2011.  He also proved he could handle the outside when coaches started switching things mid-season last year.
   Despite his shortcomings, it's pretty clear that Poz remains the best inside linebacker currently on the Bills roster.  If the Bills were to let him go, that would leave them with only Andra Davis, Reggie Torbor, Chris White and rookie Kelvin Sheppard.  For a team looking to get better, they should be closing holes instead of opening them.
   With David Harris franchised by the Jets, there are only a couple potential replacements on the free agent market.  Stephen Tulloch, of the Titans, would basically be a lateral movement.  The Chargers' Kevin Burnett would probably be a better pass rusher, but a downgrade overall.  Posluszny is head and shoulders above everyone else scheduled to hit free agency.
   Both the Bills front office and Poz have expressed interest in re-signing.  But as usual, a major factor will be money.  Posluszny's rookie contract made him a total of  $4.75 million in four years, combined.  On the open market, he's expected to command closer to $5 million per year.