Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

[Danny Duberstein]

goodbye Donte...

Posted by Mike Florio on May 2, 2011, 11:52 PM EDT

AP
With three defensive backs picked by the Bills in the 2011 draft, the status of a couple of veteran free agents became tenuous, at best.

One of them, cornerback Drayton Florence, could return. The other, safety Donte Whitner, apparently won’t.

That conclusion arises from comments made Monday by G.M. Buddy Nix during The Shredd & Ragan Show on WEDG in Buffalo.

“We think Drayton wants to be here, and we want him here,” Nix said regarding Florence. “We’re gonna try to sign Drayton Florence.”

And what about Whitner, the eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft?

“Donte Whitner I don’t think wants to be here, and he probably won’t,” Nix said.

It’s refreshing to hear that kind of candor. And, when it comes to the NFL, it’s rare.

[NOSaints213]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

A few questions:

1) Is Whitner a true problem child, or does he just not want to play in Buffalo anymore?

2) Is Whitner as good as his stats suggest he is? Does he have good instincts for the position?

3) Is Whitner a known hard worker? Does he do a lot of film study?

4) How is Whitner in coverage? Is he lost?

[Danny Duberstein]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

A few questions:

1) Is Whitner a true problem child, or does he just not want to play in Buffalo anymore?

2) Is Whitner as good as his stats suggest he is? Does he have good instincts for the position?

3) Is Whitner a known hard worker? Does he do a lot of film study?

4) How is Whitner in coverage? Is he lost?

1) I wouldn't call him a "problem child". He's an emotional diva, but he doesn't back it up on the field. And I'm sure he doesn't want to be here anymore either.

2) No, he isn't good, and has terrible instincts.

3) I think he is a hard worker, but yes, he is lost out there. I'll give him this...it doesn't seem like he sucks due to lack of trying. But he is just awful, and he thinks he great.

4) He is awful in coverage. A total liability. He is good in run-support though.

[NOSaints213]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

1) I wouldn't call him a "problem child". He's an emotional diva, but he doesn't back it up on the field. And I'm sure he doesn't want to be here anymore either.

2) No, he isn't good, and has terrible instincts.

3) I think he is a hard worker, but yes, he is lost out there. I'll give him this...it doesn't seem like he sucks due to lack of trying. But he is just awful, and he thinks he great.

4) He is awful in coverage. A total liability. He is good in run-support though.

Thanks man.

Sounds like you guys should just hope that someone grossly overpays, and you end up with a high comp pick as a result. I could see a 4th round pick for him if someone overbids.

[Ingtar33]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

A few questions:

1) Is Whitner a true problem child, or does he just not want to play in Buffalo anymore?

2) Is Whitner as good as his stats suggest he is? Does he have good instincts for the position?

3) Is Whitner a known hard worker? Does he do a lot of film study?

4) How is Whitner in coverage? Is he lost?

ignore the fellow after this post. He's a hater... and haters gonna hate. in answer to your questions.

1) Whitner IS a diva. He's not a bad guy, he's just... emotional. His problem in buffalo is he's a big talker and doesn't much back it up on the field.

2) He does get a lot of tackles... but that's mostly because he's always a step late in coverage, or our dl/lbers are so bad he gets a lot of opportunity to tackle a RB deep in the secondary. He's a mediocre blitzer, and has mediocre hands. As a tackler he's alright, he does hit hard, he doesn't always wrap up, and he will whiff badly from time to time while trying to hit someone.

3) he's a hard worker. Again, his heart seems to be in the right place. he's not a cancer in the locker room or anything like that. He's just never going to be better then a slightly above average SS

4) his coverage skills are mediocre. The fans on this board will tell you he's atrocious in coverage... that isn't really true. He's just average. about middle of the league for coverage ability. His problem is he has bad instincts for the football. as a result he's never in the right place to make a play on it.

Whitner is a slightly above average SS who thinks he's elite, and talks like it. He's a hard hitter who's respected in the league for the damage he can inflict, but that's about the only thing he really excels at, and frankly... there are better guys out there at the same position who hit as hard. He's solid in run support, mediocre in coverage and terrible in blitzing. He's also a hard worker and solid teammate/person.

He'll never be a pro bowler. he'll never be a star. But he can patch a hole in a lineup if you lack a good SS; surround him with a good defense and he might even be an asset... but on a mediocre defense he'll stand out like a sour thumb; and rarely in a good way.

[AndreReed83]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

Whitner's biggest problem (besides his own inflated mouth/ego) is the fact he was drafted 8th overall. If drafted where he was supposed to go, he'd be a pretty successful pick. But a safety at 8th overall needs to be game changing elite. Whitner too often just doesn't make an impact on the field.

[Michael82]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

I'm glad to hear that Nix isn't planning on bringing him back. It's so obvious that Whitner doesn't want to be here anymore. He's an ass and fights with fans left and right on twitter. He was even mocking the Bills out during the draft. I say good riddance. It's too bad, because when he first came here, fans loved him and chatted with him a lot online and he was very popular at camp. Then something changed a couple years ago and he became an *******.

[Buddo]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

With Whitner, his talent doesn't match his desire.
He's a solid enough player, who has been hamstrung by being picked 8th overall.
I believe he works hard, and tries to do all the right things.
I don't think he has the instinctual ability to locate the football, however. I know he's been a SS, and also asked to do an awful lot of other things along the way, especially under Jauron, but look at how many, and how often, he gets interceptions. His 'average' is 1 a year. That should tell you something. In 5 years.
Work ethic - no problem, and neither is he in the locker room. He's probably a decent team mate, being known to try and help rookie DBs out.
I believe the Bills made him a new offer, but it wasn't as good as his rookie deal in all likelihood. 'Market value' has reared it's ugly head. Whitner thinks he's going to be paid like a top something or other safety, and he's not - because he's not.
He won't be unemployed, unless by choice, as he's a decent enough player, but he's going to have to scalp someone to get the sort of money he thinks he's worth.

[YardRat]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

He'll end up somewhere, starting, and probably help that team win a ring.

[TacklingDummy]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

My lasting memories of Donte will be when he tackled that Raider 5 yards in the end zone and the numerous times he jumped on to piles.

[Night Train]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

Thank You Whitner...and goodbye.

That was all Marv/Jauron making a major blunder by not picking Ngata.

[X-Era]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

goodbye Donte...

Posted by Mike Florio on May 2, 2011, 11:52 PM EDT

AP
With three defensive backs picked by the Bills in the 2011 draft, the status of a couple of veteran free agents became tenuous, at best.

One of them, cornerback Drayton Florence, could return. The other, safety Donte Whitner, apparently won’t.

That conclusion arises from comments made Monday by G.M. Buddy Nix during The Shredd & Ragan Show on WEDG in Buffalo.

“We think Drayton wants to be here, and we want him here,” Nix said regarding Florence. “We’re gonna try to sign Drayton Florence.”

And what about Whitner, the eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft?

“Donte Whitner I don’t think wants to be here, and he probably won’t,” Nix said.

It’s refreshing to hear that kind of candor. And, when it comes to the NFL, it’s rare.

And he doesn't act like AJ Smith...he left a little room for the possibility to bring Whitner back.

[k-oneputt]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

Whitner was done as soon as they drafted Searcy.

[psubills62]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

Glad to see they're moving on from Whitner. Now if only they could have done the same with Kelsay.

As for Florence, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if he came back. Without tendering Youboty, we've got Florence, McGee, McKelvin, and Corner coming back, and Williams and Rogers coming in. That's 6 total, and if we lose Florence, that's 5. Barely enough to hold on a roster, much less take into TC.

[OpIv37]

Re: Nix says Bills will try to keep Florence, not Whitner

My lasting memories of Donte will be when he tackled that Raider 5 yards in the end zone and the numerous times he jumped on to piles.

I'll miss the infamous Donte Whitner 4th-man-on-the-pile back tackle.

Oh wait, no I won't.

Good riddance.