Jaguars moving Posluszny to strong side linebacker

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the past 10 years middle linebacker has been the only position that Paul Posluszny has played in the NFL. That will change in year No. 11. On Tuesday, Posluszny revealed that this season he will moving from middle to strong side linebacker.

Last year the Jaguars drafted linebacker Myles Jack in the second round of the NFL draft. With Poz playing middle backer and Telvin Smith on the weak side, Jack was the odd man out. That will not be the case in 2017. Jack has been inserted as the middle linebacker.

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Posluszny is one of the most well respected players in the Jaguars locker room and it comes as no surprise how he handled the news. “They feel it’s best for the team,” said Posluszny. “More than anything, I just want to win. It will be the biggest challenge of my career to learn a new position. In a competitive way this will be exciting.”

The reason why Jack was left off the field for most of last season is because the Jaguars spent the majority of their defensive snaps in their nickel package, which calls for only two linebackers. In 2016, Posluszny and Smith were the nickel linebackers but now there’s a competition for who will hold that role going into next season.

“If we take a linebacker off the field on 3rd down the best two guys are going to stay on,” said Posluszny. “If I'm not good enough to stay on that’s fine. I just want to win.”

Playing next to Posluszny is a luxury that Smith has relied on for his first three years in the NFL. Smith said that the two have grown really close but when Poz accepted the role so did he.

“At the beginning it will be odd not see Poz at MLB,” said Smith. “I'll have to speak up a little bit more. But I really believe in Myles Jack.”