Donte might be riding the pine

[The Juice Is Loose]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2009/07/11/could-whitner-lose-his-starting-job/

I'm not surprised. I love the Bills and I have high hopes, but not in Whitner. He's more worried about playing the PR part of the game than the XO part.

I say trade him while he's worth something. He'll be in the UFL in 2 years.

[Dr. Lecter]

If Byrd stats at FS, Whitner (not Scott) starts at SS.

[Jaybird]

If Byrd stats at FS, Whitner (not Scott) starts at SS.


Exactly

[methos4ever]

This is conjecture from a guy that is tying separate articles together to make his own pseudo story....

[Ebenezer]

Players don't have value right now...any value would have been before the draft.

[yordad]

Honestly, I wouldn't be shocked. He is more like a SS, FS, CB hybrid. Not really that good at any, but not that bad either. Byrd may be better at FS, and Scott may be stronger at strong.

It would be a little surprising though. I think if the Bills had a top 20 front 7, Whitner could make some more impact plays. I guess it just depends on what the Bills want to do.

It also might be game by game. If it is a game where the opposition has a big stud TE, we might use Scott. If it is a play were we are going to blitz the safety, it might be Scott too. However, if it's the Pats, we start Whitner because his range is greater.

Either way though, all this is moot til we see what Byrd can do.

[KO1]

What is Whitners true role...SS or FS??

[justasportsfan]

haha. Thats Florio for you. :crazy:

[Michael82]

haha. Thats Florio for you. :crazy:
Florio must have been drinking a little too much when he wrote that. There's no way in hell that Whitner is sitting on the bench. Sure they love Byrd, that's why they drafted him...for FS. But that means Whitner will go back to SS.

[DMBcrew36]

Waiting for OpIv to chime in here.

[BillsWin]

That is ridiculous, Donte already said in an interview with nfl.com that he would be switching back to strong safety IF Byrd was ready. Considering Byrd has missed every off season practice prior to camp it may be possible Bryd wont even be ready. Even if he was, it would be Donte and Byrd with Donte moving around in packages and Scott coming in with certain schemes and looks to cover the faster tight ends. This is all hear say and rumor tossing because there is no real news out there.

[jamze132]

Whitner can say whatever he wants. If Byrd shows some flashes in camp, Whitner is going to find himself back at SS and when he sucks at that, he'll then be on the bench. I do not want in any way, shape, or form, Whitner playing FS for the Bills.

Worst draft pick in recent memory. Wanna know the truth? If the guy wasn't taken 8th overall, he probably wouldn't even be on our roster right now, much less starting. If we took him in say the 3rd or 4th round, no one and I mean no one would be keeping him in the line-up with the way he plays. See Ko Simpson.

[bills&sabresmvf]

Whitner can say whatever he wants. If Byrd shows some flashes in camp, Whitner is going to find himself back at SS and when he sucks at that, he'll then be on the bench. I do not want in any way, shape, or form, Whitner playing FS for the Bills.

Worst draft pick in recent memory. Wanna know the truth? If the guy wasn't taken 8th overall, he probably wouldn't even be on our roster right now, much less starting. If we took him in say the 3rd or 4th round, no one and I mean no one would be keeping him in the line-up with the way he plays. See Ko Simpson.

He's absolutely Right. Scott has made more plays over the past year than Whitner has. Does that say a lot? NO! That's why they drafted Byrd. It was made the put pressure on him, lets see if he responds...I know some of you have Donte added on facebook...look how obsessed he is with that over his game.

[jamze132]

He's absolutely Right. Scott has made more plays over the past year than Whitner has. Does that say a lot? NO! That's why they drafted Byrd. It was made the put pressure on him, lets see if he responds...I know some of you have Donte added on facebook...look how obsessed he is with that over his game.
I don't think the Bills drafted Byrd to "motivate" Donte. I think they drafted Byrd to replace Donte.

[Jan Reimers]

Whitner is a better football player than Scott, period.

[realdealryan]

1) Whitner's Madden 10 rating is waaaaaaaaaay too high for us to cut/trade him!

2) The unfortunate reality is that Whitner takes a lot of bad tackling angles and is a poor run support player while simultaneously not getting any interceptions. If Byrd can get his hands on the ball and Scott keeps tackling, Whitner is going to get us a 4th or 5th round pick next year.

[Night Train]

Scott still has a place on this roster.

He's a "in the box" SS.. ala Lawyer Milloy. At 220 lbs., he's a 4th LB at the LOS who is solid against the run and coverage in a short zone.

If the Bills are starting to think about moving on without Whitner, (which has been speculated by a couple local Buffalo News reporters who don't stir the pot), then Byrd has an oportunity to snag the FS spot while the Bills wonder why they are paying a SS so much $$ for limited production.

Add in his off-field problems and Whitner is walking a fine line with this organization. His contract will soon expire and I doubt he'll ever see a big contract again here.

Marv picked him over Ngata and that doesn't mean anything to Brandon, who has no loyalties to those old picks.

[xXSpIkes5IXx]

We'd have Michael Huff right now if the Raiders didnt take him one pick before us, and he has been a superbust.

I dont have a problem with Donte Whitner, hes a solid player, not a spectacular play maker in any sense of the word. He has also been hindered because hes been asked to fill several different roles in the secondary in his 3 years here.

Granted when you draft someone 8th overall, you want him to be a play maker for your team, and thats where Whitner has been a let down. However, he has emerged as the leader of the defense, and the coaching staff obviously trusts him playing anywhere in the secondary.

Hes a sold starting safety in the NFL, which is more than we can say for John McCargo, who was drafted in that same first round. So calling him the worst draft pick in recent memory, is just incorrect.

[k-oneputt]

Just another of the Buffalo Bills terrible draft picks over the last decade.

I know, I know they are professional talent evaluators and their front office knows way more then any fan does. Could have fooled me. I know numerous fans who wanted Ngata.

[jamze132]

Just another of the Buffalo Bills terrible draft picks over the last decade.

I know, I know they are professional talent evaluators and their front office knows way more then any fan does. Could have fooled me. I know numerous fans who wanted Ngata.
They don't call them the "brain trust" for anything.

[Night Train]

They don't call them the "brain trust" for anything.

" Brain Freeze " was more the norm until recently.

[Novacane]

What would be really funny is if Florio turns out to be right. Why should his starting job be safe? He's an average safety. To many fans still think he's good because of where he was drafted.

[Philagape]

Even if this is based on nothing, it's not hard to imagine.

[Novacane]

I see someone has not changed still accusing everyone of being liars :snicker:



The_Philster says:
July 11, 2009 6:30 PM
Little word of advice...if you're gonna accuse Chris Brown of alluding something, either have proof of this or make sure there's no proof that you're lying.

[BertSquirtgum]

donte haters can go to hell. sure he has not lived up to his first round pick status but is a much better player than most of these people make him out to be. i say this thread is a bust.

[jamze132]

I see someone has not changed still accusing everyone of being liars :snicker:



The_Philster says:
July 11, 2009 6:30 PM
Little word of advice...if you're gonna accuse Chris Brown of alluding something, either have proof of this or make sure there's no proof that you're lying.
Is the Philster about to come out of the woodwork?

[Captain Obvious]

I see someone has not changed still accusing everyone of being liars :snicker:



The_Philster says:
July 11, 2009 6:30 PM
Little word of advice...if you're gonna accuse Chris Brown of alluding something, either have proof of this or make sure there's no proof that you're lying.

Yes..and when phil is really upset with something you posted he'll threaten to sic the law on you

[Jan Reimers]

They don't call them the "brain trust" for anything.
Sometimes, "train bust" might be a better description.

[trapezeus]

Donte is emblematic of the bills problems.

1.he is not great for his position where he was drafted.
2. he is good enough to fill in as a starter, but doesn't make noticable plays,
3. can't make a game changing play when the team needs it most.
4. He isn't in the top 20 at his position for starters in the league

the bills have so many of these guys on defense. There should be no surprise as to why we struggle as much as we do as a team. No one is a stand out.

I think Donte wrote his ticket out of here in the Patriots home game last year when he came up to make a tackle and was slammed to the ground by a backup running back. that was truly an ugly ugly play.

[justasportsfan]

What would be really funny is if Florio turns out to be right. Why should his starting job be safe? He's an average safety. To many fans still think he's good because of where he was drafted.

He maybe right but what does that tell you about our coaches who kept moving Whitner fom one position to another? I doubt even Palumalu would be anything special if one week he's made to play SS to FS to cb and sometimes do the switching during the course of the game. They can't blame Whitner for that.

[trapezeus]

whitner's coverage skills one on one are terrible. in the cards game, on 3rd down, he was put on the slot receiver. and time and time again, the 3rd down was converted on his receiver.

I don't know if that says more about jauron's inability to draft and put people on the field at positions that suit them or Whitner's total suckiness at everything secondary related. it's probably a mix of both.

[Pinkerton Security]

so you'd all rather have scott than whitner? not me. and who says byrd is gonna amount to s*** anyways?

[DMBcrew36]

Whitner needs to worry about his play and stop messin around worrying about what people think about him on Twitter...

http://mypict.me/show.php?id=klq5

This isn't a fashion show. This isn't a popularity contest. GET TO WORK.

[The Juice Is Loose]

I don't know what Jairus Byrd can do, but in my opinion the only starting set that makes sense at this point is

FS - Whitner
SS - Scott

Scott plays well when he's in there man, you can't deny it. He plays exactly as a SS should. I frankly think Whitner could be a decent FS, but he's too small to be a SS. At least he plays small and looks small to me.

Scott is an intelligent guy. With an extra year here he should only play better.

[billsfanone]

Whitner needs to worry about his play and stop messin around worrying about what people think about him on Twitter...

http://mypict.me/show.php?id=klq5

This isn't a fashion show. This isn't a popularity contest. GET TO WORK.

All of them. They all need to STFU about "haters." I really can't believe professional athletes get bent out of shape about negative stuff sent their way.

[DraftBoy]

whitner's coverage skills one on one are terrible. in the cards game, on 3rd down, he was put on the slot receiver. and time and time again, the 3rd down was converted on his receiver.

I don't know if that says more about jauron's inability to draft and put people on the field at positions that suit them or Whitner's total suckiness at everything secondary related. it's probably a mix of both.

Well to be fair Arizona's #3 WR is Steve Breston who may be the 2nd best slot guy in the entire league. Who was a 1000 yd WR last year.

[ServoBillieves]

Op apparently isn't back from peeing on Donte's house, he'll be back shortly.

[DMBcrew36]

Well to be fair Arizona's #3 WR is Steve Breston who may be the 2nd best slot guy in the entire league. Who was a 1000 yd WR last year.

Ya, Breston was a beast at Michigan.

[trapezeus]

draftboy, i see your point, but still a #8 pick should theoretically be able to keep up with anyone in the league. am i wrong on this?

[EDS]

He maybe right but what does that tell you about our coaches who kept moving Whitner fom one position to another? I doubt even Palumalu would be anything special if one week he's made to play SS to FS to cb and sometimes do the switching during the course of the game. They can't blame Whitner for that.

I seem to recall Carnell Lake doing pretty well for the Steelers moving between safety and corner. But I think the point is that if Whitner was really good at one position he would not have been shuttled around so much.

I still think they should have made Whitner a corner from day one. He can run with the receivers but he just doesn't do well in space - too much hesitation.

[The Juice Is Loose]

I wish we just picked him in the 2nd. He would have probably been there. Then he'd be right where he's supposed to be.

And we'd have Jay Cutler.