Pyrite Gal Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 It's not just you since many, many fans have major misconceptions of what 'should' be achieved from a player picked high in the draft. The reality is that Whitner has easily justified(at this point) his #8 selection. I'll cut & paste a previous post(May 26th) below to highlight this............ Double bingo. The opinion held by some that you never pick a safety that high or even in the 1st round is made ludicrous not only by the consensus that Whitner was a better pick than a safety taken earlier than him (already making a mockery of the notion that no one picks a safety that early or that the safety taken must be a Pro Bowler to make the pick make sense). Ragging on the choice is made an even greater departure from reality that the run on Huff/Whitner led to Miami picking yet another safety Allen in the 1st round. Whitner is clearly better than Allen whom some folks seem to advocate we should have ended up with this FS as our SS. Again when one looks at the reality of what happened, there is a fair to middlin chance that if the Bills had traded down a few spots they might well have lost Whitner to Detroit picking at #8 (who needed a safety badly enough they took one with their second pick. The Bills might well have lost out on not only Whitner but also even Allen who was judged the third best safety in this draft. The concept that one does not pick a safety in the first is simply shown by this draft where 3 safeties went in the first 15 picks to simply be old thinking which does not show understanding of how the NFL works today. Ds like the Cover 2 and the play of safeties such as Polamalu and Sanders simply demonstrates that the idea you need not go for a safety in the 1st is simply outmoded thinking that those who repeat this rant should give up if it is important to them to show a grip on modern football reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I expect (demand?) a lot out of Whitner this year. On paper the Bills' front 7 appears to be much more stout this season, which should permit DW to truly play his position without having to try to "make up" for a weak defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Again when one looks at the reality of what happened, there is a fair to middlin chance that if the Bills had traded down a few spots they might well have lost Whitner to Detroit picking at #8 (who needed a safety badly enough they took one with their second pick. The Bills might well have lost out on not only Whitner but also even Allen who was judged the third best safety in this draft. Oh the horror! God forbid they traded down and some other team took Whitner. There would of course be no talented players available to choose from at other positions. Safety was an absolute must, given that was the only hole the team had, coming off an abysmal season. Thank goodness we didn't get stuck with the likes of Antonio Cromartie, Tamaba Hali, Davin Joseph, or Mangold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveRalph Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Oh the horror! God forbid they traded down and some other team took Whitner. There would of course be no talented players available to choose from at other positions. Safety was an absolute must, given that was the only hole the team had, coming off an abysmal season. Thank goodness we didn't get stuck with the likes of Antonio Cromartie, Tamaba Hali, Davin Joseph, or Mangold. I'm interested in who the Bills should draft in 2009, so please weigh-in on who will be the best NFL players in the 2011 season when you get a chance. Nothing like a tard coming out and applying 2008 knowledge to 2006 decisions. In other news, 31 teams should've drafted Tom Brady and Benazir Bhutto shouldn't wave to the crowd standing out of a sun roof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I'm interested in who the Bills should draft in 2009, so please weigh-in on who will be the best NFL players in the 2011 season when you get a chance. Nothing like a tard coming out and applying 2008 knowledge to 2006 decisions. In other news, 31 teams should've drafted Tom Brady and Benazir Bhutto shouldn't wave to the crowd standing out of a sun roof. Well said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Oh the horror! God forbid they traded down and some other team took Whitner. There would of course be no talented players available to choose from at other positions. Safety was an absolute must, given that was the only hole the team had, coming off an abysmal season. Thank goodness we didn't get stuck with the likes of Antonio Cromartie, Tamaba Hali, Davin Joseph, or Mangold. Are even the least bit familiar with the type of defense we run? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I would like to see him make more plays this year.....but I still like the pick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Nothing like a tard coming out and applying 2008 knowledge to 2006 decisions. It was plainly obvious in 2006 that the draft was one of the deepest in years. It was also plainly obvious in 2006 that if the Bills traded down and happened to lose out on the Donte Whitner sweepstakes, there were plenty of excellent players available. Perhaps it wasn't obvious to you, but that's no surprise. But hey -- I am stoked that he's letting McKelvin stay with him... a very nice gesture. Now it would be nice to see him make some plays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Oh the horror! God forbid they traded down and some other team took Whitner. There would of course be no talented players available to choose from at other positions. Safety was an absolute must, given that was the only hole the team had, coming off an abysmal season. Thank goodness we didn't get stuck with the likes of Antonio Cromartie, Tamaba Hali, Davin Joseph, or Mangold. I'm pleased that Whitner is a good player. As PG mentions, and was known at the time - the safety position has risen in importance, and the Bills needed one. There's no lack of #1 picks that just don't pan out for whatever reason. Or the #1's that get injured early on - ending their NFL career. We can argue "value", or the wisdom of having selected another player...all day long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Biscuit97 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I like Donte Whitner. There is no doubt he is a great leader and a vocal guy you want on your team. I think he is a good not great player however. Maybe it's just me but if you draft a safety at #8, he'd better be a Ronnie Lott, Ed Reed, or Kenny Easley type difference maker. Whitner is not that type of player IMO. Check the stats. Whitner has eeriely similiar stats to Bob Sanders after 2 seasons. If Whitner ends up like Bob Sanders, is he woth the #8 spot? I think he is. Also, people need to realize that Whitner was playing in a defensive backfield that started 3 undrafted free agents at some point in the season (Greer, Wilson - a wr learning to play FS, and Leonhard - who 75% of the posters here are bigger than). Whitner had to sacrifice big plays to help everyone in the right place. Now with some talent around, I predict some big things out of Mr. Whitner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Biscuit97 Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 It was plainly obvious in 2006 that the draft was one of the deepest in years. It was also plainly obvious in 2006 that if the Bills traded down and happened to lose out on the Donte Whitner sweepstakes, there were plenty of excellent players available. Perhaps it wasn't obvious to you, but that's no surprise. But hey -- I am stoked that he's letting McKelvin stay with him... a very nice gesture. Now it would be nice to see him make some plays You mean like that Manning guy and Dusty D on the Bears??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003Contenders Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Let's also remember that the Whitner pick was in many ways a symbolic one. It was the first draft selection of the new (i.e post-Donahoe) regime. Marv wanted to put a stamp of consensus on this team, and I really do believe that the selection of Whitner was the one pick that EVERYONE could live with. That is, there were some in the War Room that liked Ngata and others who didn't. There were some that REALLY wanted us to trade down -- and others that didn't. Selecting Whitner with that pick was a move that everyone in that room was willing to accept and endorse at that time. From that standpoint, I believe that the pick was a successful one, and it has helped to foster a management style that has continued even after Marv left the team. The days of Donahoe's micromanaging are over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 You mean like that Manning guy and Dusty D on the Bears??? Bears win out on that trade thus far. McCargo has hardly distinguished himself during his NFL tenure and Manning has been a pretty solid contributor for the Bears, having started most of their games last year at safety, forcing 4 fumbles and playing very good special teams. Meanwhile, McCargo has yet to get past #2 on the depth chart. Let's see what Dusty D and McCargo do this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Check the stats. Watch the games. Whitner has eeriely similiar stats to Bob Sanders after 2 seasons. If Whitner ends up like Bob Sanders, is he woth the #8 spot? I think he is. In his first year as a starter, Bob Sanders played like a budding star, and established himself as one of the top safeties in the AFC. While I think Whitner has been good, I don't think he's played at quite that level. Maybe Sanders had a better supporting cast, maybe it's because Whitner had more responsibility. While the stats maybe similar, I think Sanders' play, early in his career, was a solid notch or two above Whitner's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I'm pleased that Whitner is a good player. As PG mentions, and was known at the time - the safety position has risen in importance, and the Bills needed one. There's no lack of #1 picks that just don't pan out for whatever reason. Or the #1's that get injured early on - ending their NFL career. We can argue "value", or the wisdom of having selected another player...all day long. I agree with what you say... I just have a problem with the argument that implies that Whitner was the only option and losing out on him would have been a setback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 I agree with what you say... I just have a problem with the argument that implies that Whitner was the only option and losing out on him would have been a setback. I don't think anybody has suggested Whitner was the only option. I believe the argument is if we accept that the Bills really wanted Whitner, it's not a given (as some suggest) they could have traded down and still landed him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fingon Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Comment: Whitner is an impressive rookie with good size, strength and athleticism. He is tough and plays with a great motor. He is a versatile player that plays off the hash, strong safety or in the box. He is a solid blitzer and flashes some natural skills to close on the ball. Whitner is a physical tackler and can press back versus blockers with good power. He can slip blockers and work through trash to insert in piles. He has good foot agility, balance and quickness to show range as a run support player and is effective coming off the hash in zone coverage. He has a good feel for underneath man coverage and can leverage defenders effectively. He uses his hands well to reroute receivers and maintain body position. He is a smart and instinctive player that reacts well as the plays develop. He takes good angles to the ball and his key and diagnose is excellent. Whitner had a great rookie season with over 100 hits and should develop into one of the top safeties in the league in the coming years. http://proxy.espn.go.com/nfl/players/scouting?statsId=7757 thats from before last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasoninMT Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 The #8 pick only matters during the draft in which it was spent... 3 years from now, the only thing we'll care about is whether Whitner has had a decent career w/ the Bills... And hopefully he'll have been extended, though I suppose some people here will argue we overpaid for an extension then. Why do people need to debate what pick was used for a player 2 years later? Whitner is a very good Safety and has turned out to be a valuable asset to the Bills D. To me, that's End of Story... I don't care what draft pick was spent. If you want to have a beef w/ a wasted pick, look at Mike Williams who never amounted to anything... Or Erik Flowers... Trading up for Drew Bledsoe... Trading up for JPL... Some people have to search for things to complain about... If picking Whitner with Pick # 8 was our biggest problem... I'd be ecstatic. So would a lot of other fans (or is it alot... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawgg Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 C'mon Dawgg, registering another screen name just to quote yourself and prop your own opinion up? Thats low, even for a classless patsy* troll like yourself. Patsy troll, nice one! You never cease to impress. - Vince Young sucks. - Donte Whitner is an elite player. What else do they teach you at that fine academic institution called FSU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Patsy troll, nice one! You never cease to impress. - Vince Young sucks. - Donte Whitner is an elite player. What else do they teach you at that fine academic institution called FSU? Glad to see you're too preoccupied with tearing down each and every Bills player to even try and understand my opinion on vince young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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