Ramius Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft07/colu...&id=2780030 Its a good read. puts a lot of things into perspective as to why more and more safeties are being selected higher and valued higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obie_wan Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft07/colu...&id=2780030 Its a good read. puts a lot of things into perspective as to why more and more safeties are being selected higher and valued higher. sacrilege! everyone knows Marv is senile look for Landry to go top 10 this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsPride12 Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Safety has always been a vital position on Defense, I just think alot of people were shocked because Whitner was projected to be a 2nd round pick on alot of boards, when played properly watching a dominant safety can be a thing of football beauty. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pHavSsG0gI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 ... and if Whitner is not an absolutely dominating safety, picking him at #8 was simply NOT smart no matter how you spin it. To me, he looks like a solid starter in the making, borderline Pro Bowl player -- like an Antoine Winfield. Winfield-type players can be found in the mid to late first round. Safety has always been a vital position on Defense, I just think alot of people were shocked because Whitner was projected to be a 2nd round pick on alot of boards, when played properly watching a dominant safety can be a thing of football beauty. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pHavSsG0gI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tipster19 Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Great read. Thanks. Marv took alot of heat, I think he made a great choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddintane Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 ... and if Whitner is not an absolutely dominating safety, picking him at #8 was simply NOT smart no matter how you spin it. To me, he looks like a solid starter in the making, borderline Pro Bowl player -- like an Antoine Winfield. Winfield-type players can be found in the mid to late first round. Though the views that you describe are in fact an accurate description of what was true in the past, that is what they are accurate for the past. In the current NFL, the one the article correctly describes as a heightened interest in drafting safeties high the past 2-3 years, which was seen in the simple fact that two safeties were drafted in the top 10 last year and three in the first round and most important for those who are more interested in the reality of on the field accomplishments rather than the often misleading draft stats, safety is really an important part of the Cover 2 rage sweeping the NFL (which Jauron and the Bills have endorsed. Your views of safeties being easily found in the later rounds have simply been passed by by the times. One can hold onto the past draft numbers, but in doing so a person is building their views on what works in the past and in fantasy leagues rather than what works now in the reality of football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneonta Buffalo Fan Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Great read. Thanks. Marv took alot of heat, I think he made a great choice. TRUST IN MARV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibs Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 ... and if Whitner is not an absolutely dominating safety, picking him at #8 was simply NOT smart no matter how you spin it. To me, he looks like a solid starter in the making, borderline Pro Bowl player -- like an Antoine Winfield. Winfield-type players can be found in the mid to late first round. Total busts can be found in the top 10 of every draft.....in fact 50% of the top 10. HOFer can be found in the 4th+ rounds of many drafts. You really need to look at the draft in perspective. If Whitner becomes a "borderline Pro Bowl player", that will be above the curve.......therefore a smart pick. You may also be wrong.....he may regress & be a bust or....who knows.....may improve to become an all-pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cincinnati Kid Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Whitner is a solid player back there at SS and teamed with Simpson we could have one of the best Safety tandems in the league in a year or two. I loved the pick because we were going SS all the way. It was either going to be Huff who did okay in Oakland (but who does well there?) or Whitner and I think it was admirable of MArv and the brain trust to trust their stuff and stick to their guns. I like Whitner and I think that while we may have been able to get him later, circumstances probably prevented it (you know sometimes trade talks to trade down dont work so you just have to take your player). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 This is precisely where you are wrong, IMO. Safety is a position in which solid players can be found A LOT easier than other positions. Because of this, taking one in the top 10 is fine -- if the team feels this is a special player. That's why I think the bar is a lot higher for Whitner... you simply don't take a safety in the Top 10 unless, as an organization, you are convinced that he will be a game-changing stud. If Whitner becomes a "borderline Pro Bowl player", that will be above the curve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 This is precisely where you are wrong, IMO. Safety is a position in which solid players can be found A LOT easier than other positions. Because of this, taking one in the top 10 is fine -- if the team feels this is a special player. That's why I think the bar is a lot higher for Whitner... you simply don't take a safety in the Top 10 unless, as an organization, you are convinced that he will be a game-changing stud. I can't think of five safeties in the NFL that would have made the play Whitner made against Miami. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketch Soland Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 ... and if Whitner is not an absolutely dominating safety, picking him at #8 was simply NOT smart no matter how you spin it. To me, he looks like a solid starter in the making, borderline Pro Bowl player -- like an Antoine Winfield. Winfield-type players can be found in the mid to late first round. Yes, because God knows we can totally determine a player's complete potential after one season. Finding a high quality player is awesome whether he's the 1st pick or you scrape him off a gutter in front of a whorehouse in Thailand. IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Yes, because God knows we can totally determine a player's complete potential after one season. Definitely. You know, leaving out facts like: a new GM, new coaching staff, new schemes on both sides of the ball, 4 other rookie starters on defense, etc. Whitner sucks and wasn't even worth a first rounder. [/retard rollercoaster] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketch Soland Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Definitely. You know, leaving out facts like: a new GM, new coaching staff, new schemes on both sides of the ball, 4 other rookie starters on defense, etc. Whitner sucks and wasn't even worth a first rounder. [/retard rollercoaster] considering he played so well (that both rookies played so well, considering we had the 8th ranked pass defense in the NFL last year) with a rookie playing right beside him for pretty much the whole season just shows how much [stud] potential the guy has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 considering he played so well (that both rookies played so well, considering we had the 8th ranked pass defense in the NFL last year) with a rookie playing right behind him for pretty much the whole season just shows how much [stud] potential the guy has. I'm begging you guys, please...for the love of all that is holy...please stop with this whole "common sense and reality" approach to your thinking. Either learn to hate and piss and moan, or go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 He showed some great flashes the first 2 games, that's for sure... if he can improve his coverage skills on tight ends, then he'll be alright. I just look at it as a supply-demand issue. Good safeties are available in free agency year after year at reasonable prices... good linebackers, defensive linemen and corners tend to be scarce in free agency. When they are available, they generally come at premium prices. If I hold a blue-chip pick and am rebuilding a defense that has numerous holes... my money would go to the LB corps and DL before safety. In this particular draft, with Ernie Sims and Ngata were available... OK I'll stop. I can't think of five safeties in the NFL that would have made the play Whitner made against Miami. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 ... ahh that's more like it. Whitner is good but wasn't worth a top 10 pick. [/common sense] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted March 2, 2007 Author Share Posted March 2, 2007 He showed some great flashes the first 2 games, that's for sure... if he can improve his coverage skills on tight ends, then he'll be alright. I just look at it as a supply-demand issue. Good safeties are available in free agency year after year at reasonable prices... good linebackers, defensive linemen and corners tend to be scarce in free agency. When they are available, they generally come at premium prices. If I hold a blue-chip pick and am rebuilding a defense that has numerous holes... my money would go to the LB corps and DL before safety. In this particular draft, with Ernie Sims and Ngata were available... OK I'll stop. Good safeties arent freely available, not with the changing demands. Rattle off some of these big game breaking safeties that could have been had in recent years. Off the top of my head, Darren Sharper is the only one i can think of. The most reatrded arguement i've heard is that "whitner would have been worth it at #15, but not at #8." Whitner is a good player, and who knows how great he'll end up being. When it comes down to it, you want good players, not good "draft value". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketch Soland Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 I'm begging you guys, please...for the love of all that is holy...please stop with this whole "common sense and reality" approach to your thinking. Either learn to hate and piss and moan, or go away. *ENTHRALLED BY AVATAR* *WASHES BRAIN* *SHAKES FIST TOWARDS ONE BILLS DRIVE WITH CRACKHEAD ZEALOTRY* *LOOKS FOR PITCHFORK AND LYNCHING ROPE* *WATCHES SKY FALL* *DROOL LEAKS FROM MOUTH* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 By "good" safeties, I don't necessarily mean game breaking safeties... I mean good, solid players... and they do tend to be freely available, especially relative to other defensive posiions. Take this year for example: Mike Doss, Deion Grant, Ken Hamlin. All 3 are starting-caliber "good" safeties at the right age-range and will not cost an arm and a leg to sign. In contrast, "good" (not game-breaking) players like Chris Kelsay are commanding huge bucks because quality at those positions is simply too scarce. Good safeties arent freely available, not with the changing demands. Rattle off some of these big game breaking safeties that could have been had in recent years. Off the top of my head, Darren Sharper is the only one i can think of. The most reatrded arguement i've heard is that "whitner would have been worth it at #15, but not at #8." Whitner is a good player, and who knows how great he'll end up being. When it comes down to it, you want good players, not good "draft value". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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