Ronald Darby retires

[Draconator]

 

[Chris from Rochester]

Doug Whaley's greatest draft pick. Seriously though, good for him, solid career. Best wishes

[Augie]

He made a few cents under $40 Mil, a very nice start in life. Hope he’s got his health and enjoys retirement. 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Solid player when he was in Buffalo, netted Harrison Phillips in the trade too so they got a little something out of it.  

[skibum]

Wow, for some reason I thought he was a lot older than that. I had no idea he was still playing! Good for him, I hope he still has his health. 

[wppete]

Good, tough player. Good career. 

[mushypeaches]

This leaves Stephon Gilmore and Robert Woods as the last remaining pre-McDermott era draft picks still in the league

[Logic]

I remember the shock I felt when Brandon Beane came in and immediately dealt Darby and Watkins.

It immediately signaled two things to me: One, he and McDermott were trying to build a culture, and only wanted players that fit that culture. And two, they were gonna be drafting a quarterback in 2018 come hell or high water, and this was the first move made with an eye toward positioning them for a potential move up the board.

Always thought the way Beane pulled off those moves nearly simultaneously was cool, as was the fact that he got replacement players at each position that he traded away, simultaneously planning for the future but signaling to the locker room and fans that they weren't throwing in the towel on the present.

Other than that, as far as Darby himself, all I can say is: Good, solid, athletic man corner. Never a world beater, but usually a plus player when he was healthy. Carved out a nice, long, respectable NFL career. Here's wishing him a happy retirement.

[dave mcbride]

10 minutes ago, Logic said:

I remember the shock I felt when Brandon Beane came in and immediately dealt Darby and Watkins.

It immediately signaled two things to me: One, he and McDermott were trying to build a culture, and only wanted players that fit that culture. And two, they were gonna be drafting a quarterback in 2018 come hell or high water, and this was the first move made with an eye toward positioning them for a potential move up the board.

Always thought the way Beane pulled off those moves nearly simultaneously was cool, as was the fact that he got replacement players at each position that he traded away, simultaneously planning for the future but signaling to the locker room and fans that they weren't throwing in the towel on the present.

Other than that, as far as Darby himself, all I can say is: Good, solid, athletic man corner. Never a world beater, but usually a plus player when he was healthy. Carved out a nice, long, respectable NFL career. Here's wishing him a happy retirement.

I forgot that he started all 16 games for Washington in 2020, when they won the division with a 7-9 record and finished second overall on defense. They had no QB.

[Fr. Jerk]

I remember him intercepting Andrew Luck in Rex Ryan's first game. That was pretty darn dope, ya dig?

 

Too bad that was the height of the Rex era.

[Walking Tall]

Carved out a very good career.

[First Round Bust]

wow irts been a decade already ? set for life at age 31 - 40M career earning whick includes a great NFL pension - whale(y) of a pick but better trade (Phillips)

 

He got a ring with Philly as well.. made his mind up at Kentucky Darby...

 

 

[Buffalo716]

1 hour ago, mushypeaches said:

This leaves Stephon Gilmore and Robert Woods as the last remaining pre-McDermott era draft picks still in the league

Nope Dustin Hopkins too!

[Mark Vader]

I remember being in Chicago for the year we drafted him. Jim Kelly came out on stage to announce the pick, this was after he beat the cancer he had gone through.

 

Roger Goodell didn't even have to introduce him as they both walked out on the stage, the crowd erupted when they saw Kelly. 

[BADOLBILZ]

51 minutes ago, Logic said:

I remember the shock I felt when Brandon Beane came in and immediately dealt Darby and Watkins.

It immediately signaled two things to me: One, he and McDermott were trying to build a culture, and only wanted players that fit that culture. And two, they were gonna be drafting a quarterback in 2018 come hell or high water, and this was the first move made with an eye toward positioning them for a potential move up the board.

Always thought the way Beane pulled off those moves nearly simultaneously was cool, as was the fact that he got replacement players at each position that he traded away, simultaneously planning for the future but signaling to the locker room and fans that they weren't throwing in the towel on the present.

Other than that, as far as Darby himself, all I can say is: Good, solid, athletic man corner. Never a world beater, but usually a plus player when he was healthy. Carved out a nice, long, respectable NFL career. Here's wishing him a happy retirement.

 

 

Well we already knew they were going to be drafting a QB in 2018 well before the Darby/Watkins trades.   That's why they handed Mahomes to conference rival KC 4 months earlier.  To get another 2018 first rounder.  

 

I don't think you and the other BBMB refugees had washed ashore here yet but the general consensus was that the primary "signal" of the Darby/Watkins trades was that they were tanking.  

 

It didn't go over well when I explained how getting rid of the core young talent(players with leverage) but keeping all of the old vet talent meant they were going to try to "Jauron ball" their way to the playoffs.  

 

You couldn't pay me to re-watch that brutal 2017 offense.   

 

 

[BillsShredder83]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

I remember the shock I felt when Brandon Beane came in and immediately dealt Darby and Watkins.

It immediately signaled two things to me: One, he and McDermott were trying to build a culture, and only wanted players that fit that culture. And two, they were gonna be drafting a quarterback in 2018 come hell or high water, and this was the first move made with an eye toward positioning them for a potential move up the board.

Always thought the way Beane pulled off those moves nearly simultaneously was cool, as was the fact that he got replacement players at each position that he traded away, simultaneously planning for the future but signaling to the locker room and fans that they weren't throwing in the towel on the present.

Other than that, as far as Darby himself, all I can say is: Good, solid, athletic man corner. Never a world beater, but usually a plus player when he was healthy. Carved out a nice, long, respectable NFL career. Here's wishing him a happy retirement.

Was Darby not a culture fit?  I cant remember anything from then.  Or was that a scheme fit thing? The Sammy trade at the time was bigger news to most.  Was he traded after only his rookie year here?

[BADOLBILZ]

10 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

Was Darby not a culture fit?  I cant remember anything from then.  Or was that a scheme fit thing? The Sammy trade at the time was bigger news to most.  Was he traded after only his rookie year here?

 

 

Darby was more of a non-fit of the scheme.    

 

Obviously,  in hindsight guys like Gilmore and Woods went on to be big stars for SB teams and clearly not any kind of culture problem.   Darby was the same but more of a good starter than a star.   Watkins and Dareus were the flakes.    

 

Really what McBeane were doing was getting rid of the young, early round talent because those are the players with contract leverage that can undermine a no-name young regime's agenda.    

 

They only wanted players that would be beholden to them.

 

That approach works but ideally you don't have to tear it down to that extent to build it back up.  

 

KC and Reid have always been able to stay a step or two ahead,  despite never drafting as highly since 2013,  because Reid didn't ever need to compromise on talent.

[Steptide]

It's crazy we had both Darby and Gilmore in their prime, and Rex completely destroyed it 

[Since1981]

Very good DBs selections for a while. I was shocked he was still playing. 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Favorite memory:

 

Local night club way after hours, circa 2016. Run into a guy coming up the stairs as my group and I tried to go up the same stair case from a different level. We stopped and he passed by. My then gf (now wife) said “is that Ronald Darby?”

 

I eyed him up and concluded no way. Dude is tiny. We got to the roof top bar and immediately bumped into Sammy Watkins, scores of fan girls, and a guy who I thought was mini-Gronk (then with the Bills) along with a handful of other recognizable players.

 

That’s my favorite memory of Ron Darby. Great 2nd round pick or greatest 2nd round pick?!