BuffaloBlood Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Bryan Scott is reportedly expected to be Buffalo's starting strong safety this season. While Scott surprisingly appears entrenched at the valuable IDP spot, Donte Whitner will face a challenge from rookie Jairus Byrd for the free safety position. Buffalo could use the three players in a rotation, but Whitner risks being the odd man out. Scott is worth a look in deep IDP affairs. Even though he played nickel corner for the Bills last year, Donte Whitner will be focusing on safety this season. Reggie Corner, Drayton Florence and Ashton Youboty will compete for the nickel corner job. Whitner was merely filling in last year for an injured Youboty. Whitner faces the possiblity of losing a starting job this year to Jairus Byrd. IDP leaguers watch out. What is this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRW Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Where is this from? Rotoworld just pulled this info from somewhere, and without knowing where that is it's pretty useless. It reads like some kind of fantasy football blurb and I don't see any reason to take it seriously as someone with any actual knowledge of the situation as opposed to speculation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Tuesday Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 NOT THIS AGAIN PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD MAKE IT STOP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 LINEUP WATCH: 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. http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/buffalo-bills/teamreport This is the article they're basing this info off of. We've all known that Whitner would playing FS this year. He's been saying it for a while. I think they will try to find ways to get Byrd involved, but I can't see him knocking Whitner out of the line-up just yet. I also don't think that Scott is an upgrade over Whitner at the SS spot. If Byrd is "that good" then I believe it will be Scott who's used in a rotational role and not Donte. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRW Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/team/buffalo-bills/teamreport This is the article they're basing this info off of. We've all known that Whitner would playing FS this year. He's been saying it for a while. I think they will try to find ways to get Byrd involved, but I can't see him knocking Whitner out of the line-up just yet. I also don't think that Scott is an upgrade over Whitner at the SS spot. If Byrd is "that good" then I believe it will be Scott who's used in a rotational role and not Donte. Thanks for the link. I have a hard time believing their predictions for the lineup when they characterize what's happened with the safeties as Scott "supplanting" Whitner. Everything else I've read indicates that the coaches felt Whitner + Scott was better than Simpson/Wilson + Whitner, but that tells us nothing about Scott vs. Whitner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2o Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-3...fe-627aaf0f57e8 There's a similar article on BB.com as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIE HARD 1967 Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 I have said it before, if you get in trouble with the law more then once on the Buffalo Bills you ussually end up in another city. He may conveniently find himself elsewhere. That goes for Marshawn also..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Donte Whitner-DB- Bills Jul. 11 - 10:41 am et Even though he played nickel corner for the Bills last year, Donte Whitner will be focusing on safety this season. Reggie Corner, Drayton Florence and Ashton Youboty will compete for the nickel corner job. Whitner was merely filling in last year for an injured Youboty. Whitner faces the possiblity of losing a starting job this year to Jairus Byrd. IDP leaguers watch out. Source: buffalobills.com That article barely touches on Whitner and only really refers to him as nickel back and ignores his safety work at SS. IMO, the most interesting thing from the article is this; Most impressive in the spring camps was Corner. The Akron product has made a noticeable jump in his play from year one to year two. His improved anticipation led to more plays on the ball including a handful of interceptions during OTAs and minicamp. Entering training camp he’s considered the frontrunner. “You learn the system more, get more experience and you feel a lot better on the field and you’re not thinking as much,” said Corner. “So definitely it’s going to be a better year for me I feel.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 I don't think Whitner is necessarily going to lose his starting spot. Still, if he was that good, we wouldn't be having this, or the other conversation. Does that sound right? Whitner is an 8th round publicity machine who doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of plays, and acts out off the field. It will be interesting to see how he reacts if he starts to not get his way. What a disaster of a #8 draft selection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOBILLS78 Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 I don't think Whitner is necessarily going to lose his starting spot. Still, if he was that good, we wouldn't be having this, or the other conversation. Does that sound right? Whitner is an 8th round publicity machine who doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of plays, and acts out off the field. It will be interesting to see how he reacts if he starts to not get his way. What a disaster of a #8 draft selection! I know, right? Be careful, the X's and O's football know-it-all posters are going to teach you about schemes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billistic Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 What a disaster of a #8 draft selection! The Bills have had CHOICE first round draft picks since the 2001 draft. Here's the harvest: * Nate Clements * Mike Williams * Willis McGahee * J.P. Losman * Lee Evans * John McCargo * Donte Whitner * Marshawn Lynch * Leodis McKelvin That should have been the core of our playoff aspirations. Pass the Mad Dog... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 The Bills have had CHOICE first round draft picks since the 2001 draft. Here's the harvest:* Nate Clements * Mike Williams * Willis McGahee * J.P. Losman * Lee Evans * John McCargo * Donte Whitner * Marshawn Lynch * Leodis McKelvin That should have been the core of our playoff aspirations. Pass the Mad Dog... Losman McCargo and Williams are the 3 horror stories there.the rest aren't bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Losman McCargo and Williams are the 3 horror stories there.the rest aren't bad. They had to wait a full season plus 4 (perhaps more) games for MaGahee to even take the field. They had a big problem at Guard and passed on Steinbach to take him. This team wasn't good and couldn't afford to waste a #1 on an injured player. He might not be "bad," but he was a dumb draft selection for the Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 There are multiple threads where this nonsense has been thoroughly debunked. Please use the search function. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOBILLS78 Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 There are multiple threads where this nonsense has been thoroughly debunked. Please use the search function. Yeah, thoroughly... We're just looking for more opportunities for you to school us on how Whitner "makes nice tackles." That was classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Yeah, thoroughly... We're just looking for more opportunities for you to school us on how Whitner "makes nice tackles." That was classic. Gee, I didn't know it was a bad thing to be a very good run defender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOBILLS78 Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Gee, I didn't know it was a bad thing to be a very good run defender. I know! He makes nice tackles and everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 I know! He makes nice tackles and everything. Yes, he does Grade: 77 | Key Alert: None Comment: Whitner is coming off his second season and has been one of the better young defenders in the league. He has good size, strength and athleticism. He is a hard-nosed safety who is better versus the run than defending the pass. He is often inverted and in the box in the Bills' defensive scheme. He shows great instincts, a good feel for angles and the ability to leverage the ball. He uses his hands well and can work through trash to stay alive to the pile. Whitner is a strong tackler who maintains good body position in the open field. He has good range off the hash, filling the alley or making plays across the field. He is best to jam receivers off the line of scrimmage in combination-zone coverages, but isn't as effective in pure man schemes. He has good foot agility, balance and quickness in space. Plus, he can redirect and close well to the ball. He isn't an outstanding coverage defender, but often he is used in the box and not in a ball hawking mode. Whitner has been very effective in the Bills' defensive philosophy and as a special team's contributor. Safety - Top 10 RK PLAYER GRADE 1 Bob Sanders 91 2 Adrian Wilson 90 3 Ed Reed 90 4 Troy Polamalu 88 5 Kerry Rhodes 78 6 Tanard Jackson 78 7 Donte Whitner 77 8 Ken Hamlin 77 9 Gibril Wilson 76 10 Brian Dawkins 75 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOBILLS78 Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Guy's incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billistic Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Losman McCargo and Williams are the 3 horror stories there.the rest aren't bad. A 7-9 W-L isn't bad either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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