The buzz-word in free agency this year is caution but, in building the Buffalo Bills roster, general manager Tom Donahoe has always taken the aggressive approach.

	Posey

That's why it is not surprising the Bills are the first franchise to lure away an unrestricted player from another team in free agency. Striking quickly in the wee hours of Friday morning, the Bills reached a four-year agreement with linebacker Jeff Posey, who played for the Houston Texans in 2002.

Posey will sign a four-year contract worth $6.425 million. It includes a signing bonus of $1.75 million and base salaries of $575,000 (for 2003), $1.05 million (2004), $1.3 million (2005) and $1.75 million (2006).

"Our (coaches) liked him a lot," said general manager Tom Donahoe. "Over the last eight games of the season, he played really well, and we needed a guy who could line up over the tight end."

Buffalo officials phoned agent Tony Agnone at about 12:15 a.m, Donahoe said, and the agreement was reached in less than an hour.

Posey, 27, had been mostly an itinerant player before last season, playing with San Francisco 1998-2000 and splitting the 2001 season between the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars. But he emerged with the Texans as a legitimate playmaker, a guy who fit well into the 3-4 scheme of head coach Dom Capers, and who seems to be in ascendancy.

In 16 games, including nine starts, the former Southern Mississippi star had 60 tackles, 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 6 passes defensed for the Texans. A defensive end in college, Posey entered the NFL with the 49ers in 1998 as an undrafted college free agent.

Donahoe and coach Gregg Williams have made no secret of their desire to upgrade their linebackers corps and they won't stop with the acquisition of Posey. The team is scheduled to meet this weekend with Indianapolis Colts standout and unrestricted free agent Mike Peterson.

Peterson will visit with Detroit Lions officials on Friday.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.