Dawgg

He sure was. Whitner may have been able to command significant $ had he made a few plays this season. Problem is, he simply hasn't made plays when the opportunities presented themselves. He dropped numerous INTs, took bad angles, and jumped on a blitz instead of making the sack. He's average. For $3M per year, I might do it. Anything more, and let some other team waste their $.

Exactly right. Let's not run this kid out of town just yet. He has far more potential than Donte Whitner and this team gave Whitner 5 years!

If you believe that, you are certifiably insane McCargo was the third best defensive lineman on his collegiate team behind Lawson and Mario Williams. The Bills reached on him and the stupidity of the pick was just as obvious then as it is now. He had a 2nd round projected grade. The moment the Bills traded up, I thought they'd take any one of the number of highly rated offensive line prospects – Mangold, Davin Joseph, Marcus McNeill – and instead they went with this stiff. Whoever made that selection should have been fired long ago.

Roscoe is not a rocket scientist either and last season most of this board wanted him off the team. Another year and good coaching staff later, he turned the corner. Give Leodis some time. He's not bright, but the guy is a great athlete. He makes some mistakes, but he also makes some good plays, both on defense and in the return game.

I find it awfully coincidental that a number of fans (even on this esteemed board) make blanket statements about how Vick, Newton and Vince Young can't read a defense when they have never sat with the player in a film room. Yet, when a QB like Trent fails to deliver the ball to the right person time after time, it's because he is tentative. The botton line is that hyper-athletic QBs like Vince Young, Mike Vick and Cam Newton bring different skills to the table -- and the offense needs to be tailored to their strengths. If anyone can do that, it's Chan.

By "They" is most Bills fans -- and to that, I agree. I'm simply asserting that there's a larger-than-you'd-think faction of fans who would prefer otherwise.

Well, Marv, a lot of people are astonished that one could draft such underachievers as McCargo, Marshawn Lynch, and sign retreads like Peerless Price and Tutan Reyes. **** happens, I guess. <cue the "figurehead" defense>

And you know how long it takes him to read a defense based on....

Yes, and stating that Vick or Newton can't "read a defense" (as if one sat with them while breaking down film) adds even more to the discussion. Yet it's brought up on this sacred board each and every day.

Quite the contrary, my friend.

A larger-than-you-think percentage of Bills fans (whether they admit it or not) would never want a black QB on their team. Period.

His responsibility on the blitz is to get there on time and nail the QB. Covering the RB is usually the responsibility of a linebacker. Even Chan stated after the game that Donte needs to learn not to jump in that situation. But it's typical Donte... when a play can potentially be made, he comes up small.

... which is exactly why the Bills are trying to extend this clown. They should take those funds and hand it to two truly deserving players, Stevie Johnson early and Kyle Williams and extend them early with team-friendly contracts. But, alas, they won't.

Exactly right. Preferably a player who does not (a) drop sure interceptions -or- (b) jump up 4 feet in the air on a blitz instead of sacking the QB.

Any response to the substance of the post? Didn't think so. Hopefully you'll get your #20 jersey autographed by the man himself.

Letting him go would not create an insurmountable hole to fill. That's the point. It has nothing to do with his draft status or his attitude, but rather his play on the field, which has been ordinary at best.

He's certainly picked up his play during the past few weeks, but he has been abysmal for most of the year. The bolded part is where I disagree. Yes, he blitzes but he rarely makes plays when given the opportunity to do so. For example: when he had a clear path to Shaun Hill, instead of nailing him for the sack, he jumped. That's classic Donte Whitner. When the opportunity is there for a big play, he comes up small – whether it's the onsides kick recovery against Dallas, a potential INT that goes through his hands, or a running back that puts him on the wrong side of a highlight reel. Not to mention we're talking about a 5-year veteran who (according to Gailey) needs to learn not to jump on a blitz. He shies away from contact, often tackling with his back. That's the antithesis of what you want in your starting safety. He has dropped 3 interceptions. He's a serviceable NFL starter but is he easily replaceable? You bet.

3 dropped interceptions. We need a playmaker back there, not an average Joe. Whitner's an average Joe.

I never suggested he was lying, but rather that he's not going to reveal ALL the reasons for his failures in a nationally televised interview, particularly when it involves criticizing anyone but himself. YES, he admitted that he didn't work as hard as he should have in Atlanta. NO, he will not attribute his play to a poor supporting cast or substandard coaching. That doesn't mean it didn't exist. If you want to believe, go right ahead. But to take what he said in an interview and assume that's the sole reason for his prior failures and current success is somewhat naive. Vick managed to do a lot with a little in Atlanta. In Philly, he's able to do a lot more with much better players and far superior coaching. Yes, the same except: Reid is far better at grooming QBs than Mora Morningweg is a far better offensive coordinator than Knapp Eagles offensive line/skill players are far superior to what he had in Atlanta If you think this is solely the product of an attitude change, it's you who's failing to connect the dots.

Who accounted for a large chunk of that running game? Vick. A top-5 tight end was his only reliable receiver. Pair Vick with Andy Reid earlier in his career and Vick would have been a perennial all-pro. He didn't have that fortune and his play suffered as a result. Did his slacking off contribute to his poor play? You bet. But it was hardly the sole reason, as many here portray. I pretty much agree with you here. I'll add this: McNair and McNabb aren't exactly known as film junkies and practice fiends... yet they managed to play at a reasonably high level for a sustained time period. Coaching matters for a QB and Vick is finally getting it now.

2 things 1) Not denying that Vick didn't work as hard as he should have as a member of the Flacons. That's well documented. 2) But to say that coaching and supporting cast had little to do with his play in Atlanta is absurd. Greg Knapp was a horrible offensive coordinator. Jim Mora was a defensive coach. Peerless Price and TJ Duckett hardly qualify as a supporting cast. His only reliable receiver was Alge Crumpler. Put him on a team with a coach who grooms QBs (Reid), a great offensive coordinator (Morningweg) and a solid supporting cast (Jackson, Maclin McCoy) and it's no coincidence that he's doing well. Football is not rocket science, despite what some might have you believe.

It's called common sense. The fact that you lack common sense fails to render an argument moot. I have and continue to work with numerous NFL athletes. So yes, I speak from experience in stating that an athlete like Vick will "say all the right things" on camera. If you don't believe that, you're even MORE of an idiot than you have already revealed yourself to be... and that's saying a lot!

Vick just got out of prison. Half the country still believes that he shouldn't be playing in the NFL. Of course he's going to be contrite on TV. You think he's going to outright say that his coaching in ATL sucked? You think he's going to say his #1 receiver was Peerless Price who sucked balls? I think not. You'll see a contrite person who repeatedly says "I'm sorry" whether he truly believes it or not. Sure, he probably slacked a bit in ATL but that wasn't the root cause of his play. The root cause was a lack of supporting cast and poor coaching.

Perhaps it has to do with the way in which they are coached. Many years ago, when I brought up the fact that Vick had the talent but was poorly coached, you scoffed at the notion, claiming that Vick was not smart enough to be an NFL QB. 5 years later, with a new team and good offensive coaching staff, you have been proven wrong.