Whites Bay Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I know it's the depths of the off-season, and I know these board writers are churning the same old material as they struggle in vain to justify their salaries. But I read this note about Byrd, and.....well, it started out okay. And then came the part about our starting safety lineup being Scott and Byrd, with Whitner relegated to the bench. "Rookie safety Jairus Byrd missed OTA and minicamp work due to his college exam schedule, leaving Donte Whitner to take most of the first-unit reps at free safety. But the coaching staff is eager to see Byrd, a ball-hawking cornerback at Oregon drafted in the second round, in training camp at free. If he beats Whitner out, then Whitner, who is being supplanted at strong safety where he has started three seasons by veteran Bryan Scott, will be relegated to a utility role." I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but does this seem clinically insane to more than just me? You're going to put your #1 overall pick from just three years ago on the pine for a journeyman and a raw rookie? Anyway, go ahead and flame away, I guess. My take on it is (1) it's The Million-Dollar-Man Ko Simpson that ought to be worried and (2) whomever wrote this seems to have swallowed his brain along with a pound of ExLax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazedandConfused Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Yep this is insane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I know it's the depths of the off-season, and I know these board writers are churning the same old material as they struggle in vain to justify their salaries. But I read this note about Byrd, and.....well, it started out okay. And then came the part about our starting safety lineup being Scott and Byrd, with Whitner relegated to the bench. "Rookie safety Jairus Byrd missed OTA and minicamp work due to his college exam schedule, leaving Donte Whitner to take most of the first-unit reps at free safety. But the coaching staff is eager to see Byrd, a ball-hawking cornerback at Oregon drafted in the second round, in training camp at free. If he beats Whitner out, then Whitner, who is being supplanted at strong safety where he has started three seasons by veteran Bryan Scott, will be relegated to a utility role." I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but does this seem clinically insane to more than just me? You're going to put your #1 overall pick from just three years ago on the pine for a journeyman and a raw rookie? Anyway, go ahead and flame away, I guess. My take on it is (1) it's The Million-Dollar-Man Ko Simpson that ought to be worried and (2) whomever wrote this seems to have swallowed his brain along with a pound of ExLax. Dumb-ass! 'Nuff said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattM Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Likely written by someone who has about 1/12th the knowledge of the Bills that the avg poster here has. It's amazing that some of these folks have jobs in sports journalism...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JinWPB Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 More next season line-up , unless Donte has a REALLY good year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Philster Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 (2) whomever wrote this seems to have swallowed his brain along with a pound of ExLax. If Byrd starts, Whitner gets his SS starting job back and Scott moves to the bench. On dime packages that require a 3rd safety, Donte will move to a utility role and Scott will move in at SS...but no way does Donte get benched in the basic package Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpcolosi Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I know it's the depths of the off-season, and I know these board writers are churning the same old material as they struggle in vain to justify their salaries. But I read this note about Byrd, and.....well, it started out okay. And then came the part about our starting safety lineup being Scott and Byrd, with Whitner relegated to the bench. "Rookie safety Jairus Byrd missed OTA and minicamp work due to his college exam schedule, leaving Donte Whitner to take most of the first-unit reps at free safety. But the coaching staff is eager to see Byrd, a ball-hawking cornerback at Oregon drafted in the second round, in training camp at free. If he beats Whitner out, then Whitner, who is being supplanted at strong safety where he has started three seasons by veteran Bryan Scott, will be relegated to a utility role." I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but does this seem clinically insane to more than just me? You're going to put your #1 overall pick from just three years ago on the pine for a journeyman and a raw rookie? Anyway, go ahead and flame away, I guess. My take on it is (1) it's The Million-Dollar-Man Ko Simpson that ought to be worried and (2) whomever wrote this seems to have swallowed his brain along with a pound of ExLax. whitner would go back to SS and Byrd to FS if anything.... Its not uncommon though for them to bring in Scott to cover TEs and stuff because he has more size then whitner, byrd or KO. but thats mostly on passing downs that they'd have all 3 of them out there. horrible article... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 The guy probably got the idea that Whitner sucks by reading this board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbyte Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Yes, that is the way good coaches do things. The best player, at that position plays no matter where he was drafted. The problem with the Bills is, that we play players because of where they were drafted not because they are the best players. This is why we have a lot of draft choices still on the team, we can not seem to understand that the best football players should be playing and not the best draft choices. If Whitner can not play up to the best at the position then he should be backing up or cut. That's the way good coaches do things. The best football players play and the rest watch and learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Seems like Wilson, Simpson, or Wendling will be on the chopping block during training camp.I don't see us keeping 6 people at the S position. I also don't believe that Scott is better than a healthy Whitner. If he is, Whitner is too overpaid to be a backup and should be cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 As has been noted, Whitner is sure to start at one of the safety spots. I honestly don't care which one, as long as they start the best of the remaining safeties at the other spot. I think Whitner will have a very good year at either spot, if he is allowed to play that position all year, and given a little bit of freedom. Whitner's versatility has been important in keeping the D intact through injuries, the last couple of years. (Those who know the DB position understand he has been a Swiss-Army DB, and not a safety for two years.) While his diversity and unselfishness has helped the team, it hasn't helped Donte's numbers, or his value in the eyes of less sophisticated observers. (Harrumph!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Caveman Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Yes, that is the way good coaches do things. The best player, at that position plays no matter where he was drafted. The problem with the Bills is, that we play players because of where they were drafted not because they are the best players.This is why we have a lot of draft choices still on the team, we can not seem to understand that the best football players should be playing and not the best draft choices. If Whitner can not play up to the best at the position then he should be backing up or cut. That's the way good coaches do things. The best football players play and the rest watch and learn. I think the issue that everyone on this board has is that Whitner is fairly obviously our best safety right now. Can you name an example of a player who is starting on our team due to their draft position rather than talent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddoublee Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 donte is the starter. this is misinformation. that is all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uticaclub Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 if we played players due to draft position, we never would of benched losman (1st round) for edwards (3rd round) or played Jason Peters who was undrafted or have Fred Jackson play over those running backs that we drafted that never saw the field. just to name a few i'm sure i missed a few Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Whitner was on Total Access last night and said he was going to be playing FS this season. Didn't hear anything about what the original post is talking about. http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=90993 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 IMO, any site that doesn't disclose the author's name is no better than TSW, when it comes to 'analysis'. No way DW is going to be a utility player...simply ludicrous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddgurley Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I know it's the depths of the off-season, and I know these board writers are churning the same old material as they struggle in vain to justify their salaries. But I read this note about Byrd, and.....well, it started out okay. And then came the part about our starting safety lineup being Scott and Byrd, with Whitner relegated to the bench. "Rookie safety Jairus Byrd missed OTA and minicamp work due to his college exam schedule, leaving Donte Whitner to take most of the first-unit reps at free safety. But the coaching staff is eager to see Byrd, a ball-hawking cornerback at Oregon drafted in the second round, in training camp at free. If he beats Whitner out, then Whitner, who is being supplanted at strong safety where he has started three seasons by veteran Bryan Scott, will be relegated to a utility role." I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but does this seem clinically insane to more than just me? You're going to put your #1 overall pick from just three years ago on the pine for a journeyman and a raw rookie? Anyway, go ahead and flame away, I guess. My take on it is (1) it's The Million-Dollar-Man Ko Simpson that ought to be worried and (2) whomever wrote this seems to have swallowed his brain along with a pound of ExLax. yup-i agree, this article is sh--. I read it the other day. What is this guy talking about? We are just gonna not play Whitner if Byrd does well? I doubt it- you would put scott on the bench Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 This guy is an idiot. SS is Donte's natural position, and we drafted Byrd so we could eventually move him back. The only options last year were to keep Donte at SS and have Scott play FS, or switch them around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justice Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 Likely written by someone who has about 1/12th the knowledge of the Bills that the avg poster here has. It's amazing that some of these folks have jobs in sports journalism...... You sum it up pretty well. As an outsider looking in, he probably read an article somewhere stating Whitner has been moved to FS and Scott will man the SS spot and that the Bills will also be taking a strong look at Byrd for the FS spot as well. He must have assumed the loser of the FS battle will be relegated to the bench. His assumption is wrong, obviously. Whitner will be moved back to SS. In the event that Byrd doesn't pan out or isn't quite ready to be a starter, then at least DW will have had some reps at FS before the season begins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San-O Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 I know it's the depths of the off-season, and I know these board writers are churning the same old material as they struggle in vain to justify their salaries. But I read this note about Byrd, and.....well, it started out okay. And then came the part about our starting safety lineup being Scott and Byrd, with Whitner relegated to the bench. "Rookie safety Jairus Byrd missed OTA and minicamp work due to his college exam schedule, leaving Donte Whitner to take most of the first-unit reps at free safety. But the coaching staff is eager to see Byrd, a ball-hawking cornerback at Oregon drafted in the second round, in training camp at free. If he beats Whitner out, then Whitner, who is being supplanted at strong safety where he has started three seasons by veteran Bryan Scott, will be relegated to a utility role." I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but does this seem clinically insane to more than just me? You're going to put your #1 overall pick from just three years ago on the pine for a journeyman and a raw rookie? Anyway, go ahead and flame away, I guess. My take on it is (1) it's The Million-Dollar-Man Ko Simpson that ought to be worried and (2) whomever wrote this seems to have swallowed his brain along with a pound of ExLax. Why would they draft Byrd in 2nd round, who can only play FS, and not hope to have him start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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