Donte Whitner SS Bills

[El Tejano]

It's my understanding that this SS is available? So with Pollard not being tendered, and if the rumor of Quinn going to FS is true, is Donte Whitner a good option as free agent pick up?

I also saw that RB Quinton Ganther didn't get tendered either. That would be a nice pick up too.

[dream_team]

Where are all of these Quin to FS rumors coming from? The only place I've heard this is on these forums.

[ChampionTexan]

Originally Posted by dream_team

Where are all of these Quin to FS rumors coming from? The only place I've heard this is on these forums.

From Kubiak...

Texans CB Glover Quin could be in the mix at free safety next season, head coach Gary Kubiak said at the NFL Scouting Combine.

LINK

[steelbtexan]

Whitner should be in his prime and would be a good pick up. He would provide vet leadership on the back end that was sorely lacking and be a big upgrade over Pollard in coverage.

Whitner is injury prone though and a S like Lefeged should be drafted in the 3-5 rd range. Whatever S that is drafted would have to be a really good ST guy while he's learning the ropes. Whitner's would help Quin and said draft pick with his experience. It would be scary (shade of last yr) to go into next season with Quin and a drafted S as the last line of defense. Neither one of them will have played a down of S in the NFL.

This is why I'm for signing Whitner and a vet CB in FA. Hopefully BoB will spend the $$$$ on a couple of vet FA DB's. So we as fans will not have to suffer through another season like last yr. However I will have to see BoB step up to the plate before I will believe it.

[PapaL]

I've had my eye on Whitner. I think he'd be much better than the crap we last year.

[dream_team]

Originally Posted by ChampionTexan

From Kubiak...



LINK

Cool! Thanks for the link.

[drs23]

Originally Posted by ChampionTexan

From Kubiak...



LINK

Thanks. Good read. This last pargraph left me puzzeled. Wouldn't we know by the combine if BP was coming back, or not?

The Texans also have a decision to make on SS Bernard Pollard, who's slated to be an unrestricted free agent. Kubiak said that re-signing Pollard was "very important" but also noted: "All the guys right now that would be considered free agents are very important to our football team. But there is so much work that needs to be done between now and then, so we'll see."

Is this what we call 'Coach Speak'? Wouldn't management perhaps had a chat about that before the road trip? Or is that just too harsh?

[Mari-OWNED!]

Whitner and Pollard are the EXACT SAME player. Great at stopping the run, absolutely terrible in pass coverage.

Tomato-Tomahto.

[El Tejano]

Originally Posted by Mari-OWNED!

Whitner and Pollard are the EXACT SAME player. Great at stopping the run, absolutely terrible in pass coverage.

Tomato-Tomahto.

This is what I was looking for.

[toronto]

Whitner is barely average. Don't waste your money.

[Section516]

Eric Weddle is who the "pros" are pegging us as taking a good, long look at.

[El Tejano]

Originally Posted by Section516

Eric Weddle is who the "pros" are pegging us as taking a good, long look at.

I really hope so. I'd take that. It would be a solid upgrade.

[bah007]

Originally Posted by Section516

Eric Weddle is who the "pros" are pegging us as taking a good, long look at.

Weddle would be a big get for us. Very solid upgrade.

[beerlover]

Originally Posted by bah007

Weddle would be a big get for us. Very solid upgrade.

does your eye tell you Kubiak could be having Lynch flashback in regards to Weddle? If so I would say it's a done deal he'll be a Texan.

[Doppelganger]

Originally Posted by Section516

Eric Weddle is who the "pros" are pegging us as taking a good, long look at.

Originally Posted by beerlover

does your eye tell you Kubiak could be having Lynch flashback in regards to Weddle? If so I would say it's a done deal he'll be a Texan.

I would love to get him, but why would he or any other highly sought after FA want to come to Htown? I he from the area? No. He is from Cali. He has been in SD, who are notorious for slow starts and then furious finishes. Does he want to come to another team that starts out slow and then has a furious finish but is in a much tougher division? Houston is not a perennial playoff or Superbowl contender, so we cannot sell him on that.

I hope I am wrong, but outside of giving a high level FA a blank check, I don't see any of them wanting to come here. I can see Htown over paying for a mid level FA but Weddle is the top Saftey FA. As much as I would love for it to happen. I don't see it.

So, go ahead and prove me wrong Rick Smith. And when you do I will change my avatar to a Rick Smith one for a whole week.

[bah007]

I'm with Doppelganger. I would love for this to happen. I don't think we will get him, but I don't think it will be from lack of effort.

The Texans just aren't a desired destination for the top free agents.

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by Mari-OWNED!

Whitner and Pollard are the EXACT SAME player. Great at stopping the run, absolutely terrible in pass coverage.

Tomato-Tomahto.

I disagree. They do have a similar skill set. So, yes, Whitner will struggle in pass coverage. However, Whitner plays the ball better, I think. Also, part of Pollard's problem was his inability or unwillingness to play his assignment. Multiple times, he would just vacate his zone inexplicably.

I'd rather get Eric Weddle, for instance. But, I would be happy with Whitner as well.

[Lucky]

Bills GM Buddy Nix admits that Whitner is a goner:

“Donte Whitner I don’t think wants to be here, and he probably won’t,” Nix said.

I think the comparisons of Whitner to Pollard are off. One, Whitner hasn't come up with the impact plays that Pollard has. Two, Whiter has played on one of the better pass defenses in the NFL. Whitner is more of a solid player without flash. Certainly overdrafted at #8 overall in 2006. But, a serviceable NFL safety. Looks like someone the Texans would make a run at.

Pollard gets a lot of bashing here, and somewhat deservingly. Did he bust assignments? Probably. But, he also made plays. And while the other Texans DBs get the benefit of the doubt that improved coaching will raise their level of play (see: Jackson, Kareem), Pollard is deemed hopeless. I look back at the 2009 Pollard (when he didn't go through Texans training camps or mini camps), and he was one of the best players on the team. A "coached up" 2010 Pollard was much worse. Why couldn't Bernard improve under Wade Phillips and staff?

[CloakNNNdagger]

Originally Posted by Lucky

Bills GM Buddy Nix admits that Whitner is a goner:

I think the comparisons of Whitner to Pollard are off. One, Whitner hasn't come up with the impact plays that Pollard has. Two, Whiter has played on one of the better pass defenses in the NFL. Whitner is more of a solid player without flash. Certainly overdrafted at #8 overall in 2006. But, a serviceable NFL safety. Looks like someone the Texans would make a run at.

Pollard gets a lot of bashing here, and somewhat deservingly. Did he bust assignments? Probably. But, he also made plays. And while the other Texans DBs get the benefit of the doubt that improved coaching will raise their level of play (see: Jackson, Kareem), Pollard is deemed hopeless. I look back at the 2009 Pollard (when he didn't go through Texans training camps or mini camps), and he was one of the best players on the team. A "coached up" 2010 Pollard was much worse. Why couldn't Bernard improve under Wade Phillips and staff?

I've been asking myself this same question. Why not at least bring him into camp (if there is one) and see if there is a change, before making a final decision. With this approach not being entertained, I get the feeling there could be another underlying reason for the Texans not extending any offer to doing so........maybe, he spilled a protein shake on Kubiak's wife's dress.

[cuppacoffee]

"Tarvaris Jackson and CB DeAndre Wright have to assume their time in Minnesota is done with, given that the team gave away the numbers they had at the end of last season. Christian Ponder has been given T-Jack’s No. 7 and rookie defensive back Mistral Raymond was given Wright’s No. 30"

http://min.scout.com/2/1069911.html


Ya think?


Is Wright worth taking a look ?