S Donte Whitner (Official Thread)

[BayBuck]

Fuckin' Agents.

 

[ScarletBlood31]

Its one thing to hold out if you are getting nickel and dimed, its another to hold out for a few nickel and dimes.

No actually, its pretty much the same exact thing.

 

[HineyBuck]

Fuckin' Agents.

This is not good for Donte. As Marv Levy said, the young man's opportunity to earn the starting position are diminishing swiftly. Further, many Bills fans are already wondering if they overreached by selecting him as the eighth pick in the draft. Is he really worth all this? Let's hope this wraps up soon, so Donte can begin demonstrating his worth (and earning those nickels and dimes) on the field.

 

[restless]

Fuckin' Agents.

You are probably right. Anytime when you see 'hard ball' flying, that tells you someone is pissed, which is not good for any kind of negotiation. It's a matter of communication and agents are key to the process. I guess not everyone can affort Alex Smith's agent.

 

[jwinslow]

In all seriousness, its a bit different situation. Reggie was wanting #1 draft choice money, even though he wasnt the #1 draft choice. Whitner is wanting a contract that at least rivals Huffs, not trying to make money that traditionally doesnt fit. Its one thing to hold out if you are getting nickel and dimed, its another to hold out for a few nickel and dimes.

Reggie was #2 wanting #1 money.
Donte was #8 wanting #7 money.

looks pretty different

Reggie should have been the #1 pick over Mario.
Donte was a huge surprise to go #8 whereas many expected huff to go early.

It's a business. You seem to be able to give Donte a break, despite the fact that he could be pivotal in the bils defense this year. Why can't you do the same for Reggie, who isn't holding out anymore... unlike Donte?

 

[Buckskin86]

Talks with Whitner's agent at a standstill
GM Levy says, 'we're moving ahead' without first-round choice

Leo Roth
Staff writer

(August 1, 2006) — PITTSFORD — Talks between the Buffalo Bills and first-round draft pick Donte Whitner have stalled and the club has no idea when he'll arrive at training camp, general manager Marv Levy said Monday.

Whitner, a strong safety out of Ohio State, was the No. 8 overall pick in April's NFL draft. He's the league's highest unsigned draft pick.

"It's not very good," said Levy when asked to describe the state of negotiations between Whitner's agent, Jonathan Hurst, and Jim Overdorf, the Bills' vice president of football administration and lead negotiator. "Jim said he's not getting much contact back from him and we're moving ahead. It's a competitive situation and people there (at strong safety) are moving ahead of him."

Levy said he spoke with Hurst Monday morning as a "cordial" gesture to help get talks moving. He said he's tried to phone Whitner but that four phone numbers the Bills have for the player are disconnected.

"I just wanted to let him (Hurst) know that the competition is heated and Donte isn't being given the position," Levy said. "We're moving ahead. In the long run, I think you can hurt the guy financially with a long holdout."

Whitner did speak with The Associated Press on Monday on the Ohio State campus where he said he's working out two hours a day and studying his playbook.

"It won't be long," he said of signing his deal.

Whitner has missed six practices so far.

While not revealing specifics about the financial numbers being discussed or length of the contract, Levy said he's perplexed why a deal hasn't been struck. Oakland strong safety Michael Huff and Detroit linebacker Ernie Sims — the players picked before and after Whitner — are signed and in their camps.

"I don't know the figures, I just know Jim says our offer wasn't as good as the seventh and it's better than the ninth," Levy said. "He said they're not budging. I don't know if the young man understands how much he's putting himself behind."

Hurst, who is based in Cleveland, has not returned phone messages or responded to e-mails from the Democrat and Chronicle.

[email protected]

http://www.democratandchronicle.com...?AID=/20060801/SPORTS03/608010330/1007/SPORTS

 

[BayBuck]

This is getting ridiculous--you don't hold out for #7 money when you were projected to go in the 20s, especially at a position like safety that rarely goes that high anyway. I can't imagine what this moron Hurst is thinking, especially when the Bills brought in veteran Matt Bowen this offseason and have pretty good depth at both safety spots. This team is going to be terrible with or without Donte starting at SS, so he's only hurting himself by holding out.

 

[BuckWrestler141]

If this article is right, which i assumed to be the case originally, I have no problem with Whitners hold out. (If it is over money though.. it's pathetic)

Per ESPN's John Clayton:

The underlying theme for three of the four remaining holdouts in the first round is the sixth-year demands. Teams in the top 16 can ask for six-year contracts. That seems to be a little excessive for Eagles defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley (No. 14) and Dolphins defensive back Jason Allen (No. 16). The history of draft choices taken in past years is for them to receive five-year contracts.

Bills safety Donte Whitner (No. 8) is surrounded by five-year deals, and the Bills may eventually consent to a five-year contract. Naturally, Matt Leinart wants a five-year deal. If he becomes the Cardinals' franchise quarterback, he'll want a renegotiation after three years. The Cardinals will continue to push for a six-year deal.

 

[Bucklion]

My only hope is that Donte isn't judging himself based on, say, the Cedric Benson situation. What I mean by that is I hope he isn't holding out for money, assuming that "If they pay me enough, they'll have to play me" which is some of the underlying tenor here in Chicago. I think with the FA they brought in, and the position he plays, Donte needs to be in camp and not assume anything.

 

[buckeyeboy]

Yet Reggie Bush was wrong for missing one practice according to you....nice double standard

I don't remember Whitner ever coming out and saying that he'll never hold out b/c of the tough times the city of Buffalo has gone through and what he knows he means to the city, a la Bush to New Orleans. Are you really that obtuse that you cannot see the difference between the two situations?

 

[jwinslow]

I don't remember Whitner ever coming out and saying that he'll never hold out b/c of the tough times the city of Buffalo has gone through and what he knows he means to the city, a la Bush to New Orleans. Are you really that obtuse that you cannot see the difference between the two situations?

I can. Donte's not in camp. Other than that, I think you have to either bash both for being "greedy" or excuse both b/c it's a business.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

I can. Donte's not in camp. Other than that, I think you have to either bash both for being "greedy" or excuse both b/c it's a business.

How can you be so obtuse?

 

[Bucklion]

How can you be so obtuse?

"Is it deliberate?"

 

[buckeyeboy]

I can. Donte's not in camp. Other than that, I think you have to either bash both for being "greedy" or excuse both b/c it's a business.

There are totally different circumstances here. I guess I fall into your category of saying that it's a business, which is why I'm ok w/Donte's holding out. But Bush does not fall into that category. Indeed, if you or buckeyefool took the time to go back and read my original post in which I described why I thought Bush's behavior was ridiculous, it was because he came out in front of everyone and claimed that he would not hold out due in part to the situation that the people of New Orleans have had to face. Yet he held out exactly as he said he would not. My problem was that he wanted to have it both ways -- he wanted to look like a great guy by having everyone say, "Wow, he really cares about the city of New Orleans--he says he won't hold out," while at the same time he wanted to hold out to get more money. My problem with Bush is his inability to be a man of his word, not his greed.

 

[BuckWrestler141]

I can. Donte's not in camp. Other than that, I think you have to either bash both for being "greedy" or excuse both b/c it's a business.

If the new article is true then I'll go ahead and disagree with this. I think asking for number 1 money is breaking your slot. Where as the picks before and after Whitner both got 5 year deals, so it is only fair that he receive the same deal. I'm hesitant to place him in the same category as Bush. I agree with your logic more then BuckeyeBoy's though, i think you need to go reread the comments you made about Bush and reread what you've said in this threat, especially when the hold out was believed to be about money.