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S Donte Whitner (All B1G, 3x Pro Bowl)

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Question #18: Will Whitner?s role be expanded?
by Chris Brown, Lead Journalist Last Updated: 6/30/2008

There have been some key additions to Buffalo's defense this offseason. Marcus Stroud, Spencer Johnson and Kawika Mitchell all figure to make a sizable impact in changing the Bills defensive fortunes for the better. But the player whose impact could be most significant as a result of that influx of veteran talent is Donte Whitner.

After the three veteran defensive free agents were signed by the Bills Whitner went out to dinner with his family and celebrated. He knew that inserting a proven run stuffer up front in Stroud, along with a solid linebacker in Mitchell and a versatile performer in Johnson would strengthen the Bills front seven to the point where he would be given more freedom to improvise from his strong safety position.

"We'll get to go out there and do a couple of different things," said Whitner in light of the veteran acquisitions. "I know (defensive coordinator) Perry (Fewell) gets to play around with some different things because he has the pieces he needs. That will bring another dimension to our defense and give us an opportunity to make more plays."

One of those different things is expected to be allowing Whitner to freely switch his alignment between that of a traditional strong and free safety. In his rookie season Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell wanted to keep it simple for Donte Whitner, and Ko Simpson for that matter, in Buffalo's secondary. So flipping their assignments back and forth wasn't really an option.

In 2007, Whitner's role in the defense was to be expanded where he'd shift back and forth between the strong and free safety roles, but a myriad of injuries on that side of the ball, including the season ender to Simpson, compromised those plans.

"It didn't happen that much last year," said Whitner of being an interchangeable safety. "With the pieces we had to work with what we had. Sometimes we'd bring one safety in and I'd have to play in the middle of the field and then with another safety in I'd have to play up in the box because of size or whatever it may be."

But now in year three it appears the defensive staff will finally be able to put Whitner in position to make more game-changing plays.

"That's what we've been trying to do, but we didn't have all the pieces to make the safety positions interchangeable, where I'm down on one play, I'm back on one play, I'm blitzing on one play," Whitner said. "We didn't really have the knowledge and the pieces, but now we have the pieces. Having two good defensive tackles and a linebacking corps where we need it to be, just being able to roam around back there and take more risk."
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Question #18: Will Whitner?s role be expanded? - Buffalo Bills
 
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Bills rookie McKelvin feeling right at home
Posted: July 6, 2008

Rookies often have trouble adjusting to a new team, new city, new system and new coaches. Not Leodis McKelvin. He feels right at home with the Buffalo Bills, thanks to a teammate's welcoming gesture.

McKelvin is staying with Donte Whitner, the Bills' starting strong safety. The living arrangement is temporary, until the rookie cornerback finds his own place. But Whitner's decision to roll out the welcome mat speaks volumes about his role as a team leader and how seriously he takes it.
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To succeed in the NFL, it's not only about what you do on the field," says Whitner, who broke into the Bills' starting lineup as a rookie after being selected No. 8 overall in the 2006 draft. "It's the whole package. How much film do you study? How well do you take care of yourself? What choices do you make off the field? It's all part of how successful you become.

"That's why I reached out to Leodis after we drafted him. I'm there for him. He's my new teammate, part of the Bills family, and I want him to do well. The better he plays, the better we'll be. And I'm serious about winning."

When asked if he expects the Bills to make the playoffs, Whitner makes it clear how serious he is. "Do I expect us to make the playoffs?" he says. "I'm guaranteeing it." He has delivered that message to McKelvin, who was rated by many scouts as the best cornerback in the draft.
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Shortly after the Bills open training camp in late July, they will elect team captains for next season. Here's a suggestion for the Bills: Elect Whitner as a captain. Obviously, he is already acting like one
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Magua;1201104; said:
Anyone here from Buffalo care to weigh in on how the general public/media in/around Buffalo view Whitner as both a player and teamate?
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Don't live there any more, but spend a lot of time on Bills message boards....

I think he has a general level of respect, he's clearly the leader of the D and gives it all every time on the field....

Some people, however, don't forgive him for being the 8th pick and claim he hasn't made enough of an impact (even though he has nearly identical stats to Bob Sanders)

Basically everyone thinks he's a pretty great guy to have on the team, but some wish we could have traded down and still picked him up.

I personally defend him on Bills boards if he's criticized because I'm a huge Buckeye fan too.....
 
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did you all watch NFL LIVE last night?? Mark Schlereth, as well as Mike Golic, bashed Donte for making the guarantee. DOUCHEBAGS! I don't find it inappropriate for Donte to make that claim. He is not just running his mouth; he is backing it up with his action, on and off the field, and with his leadership.

:osu2:

osu.edu ROCKS!!!
 
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BuffaloBuck;1201123; said:
Don't live there any more, but spend a lot of time on Bills message boards....

I think he has a general level of respect, he's clearly the leader of the D and gives it all every time on the field....

Some people, however, don't forgive him for being the 8th pick and claim he hasn't made enough of an impact (even though he has nearly identical stats to Bob Sanders)

Basically everyone thinks he's a pretty great guy to have on the team, but some wish we could have traded down and still picked him up.

I personally defend him on Bills boards if he's criticized because I'm a huge Buckeye fan too.....
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Eh, I don't see any problem with a guarantee like that. You have to go into a season feeling that way. Otherwise, what's the point?

As far as E!spn talking heads bashing him, whatever. I typically don't mind Golic, but I've always seen Schlereth as the NFL version of Mark May.
 
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Eh, I don't see any problem with a guarantee like that. You have to go into a season feeling that way. Otherwise, what's the point?
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agree completely. who wants to come out and say, "we are going to suck this season"?!

honestly, i see a glaring difference between someone like rasheed wallace of basketball, or mike 0-4 "mini-me" hart of scum and donte. donte is not taunting. he wants to inspire his team, to aim for success, to become a leader in that team. talking trash is NOT inspiring; donte, on the other hand, IS.

He definitely represents THE Ohio State Univesity in a good light in NFL and nationally. Donte is a great ambassador for this community we call "Buckeye Nation".

:osu2:

osu.edu ROCKS!!!
 
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osu_edu;1201470; said:
did you all watch NFL LIVE last night?? Mark Schlereth, as well as Mike Golic, bashed Donte for making the guarantee. DOUCHEBAGS! I don't find it inappropriate for Donte to make that claim. He is not just running his mouth; he is backing it up with his action, on and off the field, and with his leadership.

:osu2:

osu.edu ROCKS!!!
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Those idiots just needed something to talk about. That program is so weak..it's year round so a good chunk of the shows talk about absolutley nothing. (hey Trey lets speculate about Chad Johnson's hair due!) And of course they are 'experts' about all things football.
 
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I'm not a big fan of guarantees, but Schlereth and Golic acted like Donte and the Bills aren't an up-and-coming team. The Bills have a legitimate shot to make the playoffs. The guarantee wasn't out of line, but they just rub me the wrong way.
 
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3074326;1201984; said:
I'm not a big fan of guarantees, but Schlereth and Golic acted like Donte and the Bills aren't an up-and-coming team. The Bills have a legitimate shot to make the playoffs. The guarantee wasn't out of line, but they just rub me the wrong way.
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I happened to see that segment of NFL Live that day too and I wasn't as annoyed with their criticism of Donte as I was with how dismissive they were of the Bills making the playoffs. They had a tough schedule last year, a rookie quarterback and rookie running back(both of which missed games due to injury), a young defense, lost 17 players to IR, lost two games on last second field goals at home and still went 7-9. Assuming that they don't get devastated by injuries again this year and that Trent Edwards takes a step forward after a decent rookie year, just look at the schedule and tell me they can't win 10 games. I'm not much for guarantees because I don't think they really serve much of a purpose, but Donte is right, the playoffs are certainly within reach assuming 10 wins would get you in.
 
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Whats funny is if he would have been negative or dismissive he would have gotten ripped for not thinking his team can win.

This is the time of year that every team should be thinking they can make the playoffs-thats what is going to keep you and your teamates motivated.
 
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