Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Donte Whitner addressed the question of whether the Bills "reached" by picking him at # 8 in his first press conference by saying that he was not because Baltimore had told him that, if he was still on the board, they were going to take him at # 13. He also mentioned that he had talked with St. Louis about them taking him at # 11. He said that since he would have been gone within the next six picks, he did not feel that Buffalo "reached" by picking him at # 8.

http://www.buffalobills.com/multimedia/index.jsp?FILE_300=http://play.rbn.com/?url=nfl/nfl/open/bills/demand/05billsvision/050406whitner.rm&proto=rtsp

This basically confirms what B.Billick said about the Ravens taking Whitner. Since all of the trade offers/discussions the Bills had were from teams picking after the Ravens, this means that the Bills would have, indeed, lost out on Whitner if they traded down out of the # 8 spot with any of those teams with the intention of taking him later. Whitner's mention of St.Louis as being one of the teams that had indicated that they were interested in drafting him also adds to the likelihood that Whitner would have been gone shortly after the # 8 pick if the Bills did not take him there as well, regardless of what Detroit may have done.

While there is no way of saying whether the Bills were more interested in Huff than Whitner (there have been reports that Whitner was their man all along, but who knows?), I hope this puts to rest the notion that he was that much of a "reach" or that the Bills could have accepted the trade down offers that they had and been certain that they would have gotten Whitner anyway or that the Bills panicked and grabbed Whitner without there being a realistic possibility that he would have been drafted within the next few picks in the draft.

If no one is calling the Cowboys' selection of Bobby Carpenter at # 18 (before the NY Giants probably would have taken him at # 25) a "reach", then no one should call the Bills' pick of Whitner at # 8 (before the Ravens would have taken him at # 13 or the Rams might have at # 11) a "reach" either. The Bills got the man that they wanted within six picks of when he would have been selected by another team, while the Cowboys got their man within seven picks of when he would have been taken by another team--so which team "reached" more?

[ddaryl]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

But ... But ... But... Marv is senile and he is completely out of his element.

I mean just ask all of our " Resisdent Gensius's " they'll have no problem telling you how we are the embarassment of the league.

[Iehoshua]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

If the Ravens wanted him, it's a good bet he's a solid D player... Just take a look at their defensive drafting history...

[LtFinFan66]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

He was still a reach....if the experts say so dammit

[LtFinFan66]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

If the Ravens wanted him, it's a good bet he's a solid D player... Just take a look at their defensive drafting history...

He is a Buckeye DB, they tend to be pretty good! Chris Gamble being the latest example!

[OpIv37]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

of course he's gonna say he's not a reach- what's he gonna do? Go on TV and say "Yeah, I'm not nearly as good as Huff. The Bills are really going out on a limb- it's a good thing they need a safety otherwise I'd be making less money in Baltimore as the #13 pick."

[ICE74129]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

But ... But ... But... Marv is senile and he is completely out of his element.

I mean just ask all of our " Resisdent Gensius's " they'll have no problem telling you how we are the embarassment of the league.

Care to explain how we aren't the most embarrassing team in the league? We have won just a few games more than the cardinals in the last 6 years, No playoffs, and had a very embarrassing offseason that made moe, larry and Curly look like Einsteins. Ralph has had 2 GM's, 3 head coaches, 4 Offensive coordinators, 4-5 different attempts at Systems, Three different Starting QB's and etc just in the last 5 years. To be honest this org has been nothing but a Cluster FK for years now. It is what it is... a running joke. That is unless Marv and DJ can fix it.

Until this team actually does something on the field and starts winning, we have earned that title.

And I would like a link to Ozzie Newsome saying they were going to take Whitner. Now I have read 'they liked him' and 'they were considering him'. But I doubt they were going to take him with DT being that teams biggest need after losing all they did this offseason and Ray Lewis having his fits in the press and directly pointing to DT as the #1 reason why.

Fans are 'reaching' to defend good ol marv's picks. IF they turn out well on the field then the picks have been defended.

[ICE74129]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

of course he's gonna say he's not a reach- what's he gonna do? Go on TV and say "Yeah, I'm not nearly as good as Huff. The Bills are really going out on a limb- it's a good thing they need a safety otherwise I'd be making less money in Baltimore as the #13 pick."

And what do fans expect Marv, Modrak and DJ to say? 'Man I got scared and really reached for that pick. Wish I could go back and do it over again since other teams BS'ed me into thinking they were going to pick my guy'. 'Gollie Gee...hehehe, I guess this ones on me guys'.

I have yet to see any GM say 'Man I really jumped the gun and fugged up that pick'. Have any of you? Every GM says they feel good about every pick they make. That is just the name of the game. Hell I bet the chargers felt great about Ryan Leaf too. Hell I bet they can still sit there and try to defend the pick!

Lets see how the picks play out on the field. If whitner can't crack the starting lineup and be an impact like Williams and Reed were, then fans are going to let Marv hear about it. You dont' take a safety that high PERIOD unless he is going to be an impact player damn near immediately. Now if he is, Great for us. I am more than happy to be wrong IF the Bills make out well with the kid.

[ryjam282]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

Damn, imagine him and Ed Reed back there. That is a scary secondary.

[SquishDaFish]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

Ice ddaryl was being sarcastic and talking about our 4 negative monkeys on this board. And OP all whitner was saying was what balt told him he wasnt saying hes better then huff or not. Just explaining that Buffalo didnt reach because he knows one of two teams were going to select him soon seeing one told him that. I think he would know more then you if he was going to be selected in the 13th spot which means Buffalo wouldnt of gotten their guy.

GOOD JOB MARV!!

[OpIv37]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

Ice ddaryl was being sarcastic and talking about our 4 negative monkeys on this board. And OP all whitner was saying was what balt told him he wasnt saying hes better then huff or not. Just explaining that Buffalo didnt reach because he knows one of two teams were going to select him soon seeing one told him that. I think he would know more then you if he was going to be selected in the 13th spot which means Buffalo wouldnt of gotten their guy.

GOOD JOB MARV!!

I wasn't commenting on the pick- all I'm saying is that the guy isn't going to bash himself to the media. Whenever players or coaches say stuff like that on the record, you have to take it for what it's worth. They're not going to say anything bad about themselves, their team or their choices publicly.

Public relations is a game and these guys are trained to play it well.

[Mr B]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

Quote:
Originally Posted by ddaryl
But ... But ... But... Marv is senile and he is completely out of his element.

I mean just ask all of our " Resisdent Gensius's " they'll have no problem telling you how we are the embarassment of the league.

Care to explain how we aren't the most embarrassing team in the league? We have won just a few games more than the cardinals in the last 6 years, No playoffs, and had a very embarrassing offseason that made moe, larry and Curly look like Einsteins. Ralph has had 2 GM's, 3 head coaches, 4 Offensive coordinators, 4-5 different attempts at Systems, Three different Starting QB's and etc just in the last 5 years. To be honest this org has been nothing but a Cluster FK for years now. It is what it is... a running joke. That is unless Marv and DJ can fix it.

Until this team actually does something on the field and starts winning, we have earned that title.

And I would like a link to Ozzie Newsome saying they were going to take Whitner. Now I have read 'they liked him' and 'they were considering him'. But I doubt they were going to take him with DT being that teams biggest need after losing all they did this offseason and Ray Lewis having his fits in the press and directly pointing to DT as the #1 reason why.

Fans are 'reaching' to defend good ol marv's picks. IF they turn out well on the field then the picks have been defended.

I think he was referring to how some people think the Bills front office is the embarrasment of the league because of their age. Because ESPN said so.

[OpIv37]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

And just for the record- 13 comes after 8, meaning a reach at 8 is not necessarily a reach at 13. No one thought Michael Huff was a reach at 7, but if the Saints had picked him at 2 with Reggie Bush, Young, Davis and Hawk still on the board, it would have been a different story.

[SquishDaFish]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

Point is OP if they would of traded down where they were talking and #13 took him like they said they would we would of missed out on the player they wanted.

[OpIv37]

Re: Whitner Says That He Was Not A "Reach"

Point is OP if they would of traded down where they were talking and #13 took him like they said they would we would of missed out on the player they wanted.

9, 10, 11, 12

and how did he KNOW the Ravens would take him- what if Cutler or Leinart were still on the board? They may have wanted someone else more and it depends who falls.