08-22-2006, 11:32 AM
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Head Coach
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Quote:
Bills need Whitner to play like veteran
By RODNEY MCKISSIC
News Sports Reporter
8/22/2006
PITTSFORD - Donte Whitner is standing on the sidelines at training camp. He's mingling and sharing a laugh with a few teammates, as if he's been a part of the Buffalo Bills for years.
It's a good sign for the team and for Whitner because the quicker he blends in and adjusts to the NFL, the better off the Bills will be. The defense doesn't need a wide-eyed rookie struggling to keep his head above water. They need Whitner to unfold like a pop-up book, to rise up and prove that he can add another dimension to the secondary and make enough plays to make people forget about predecessor Lawyer Milloy.
"We drafted Donte high and we anticipate that he's going to start," said Bills coach Dick Jauron following Monday evening's practice at St. John Fisher. "He's more advanced than he was a week ago and he's a studier. He likes it, and he works at it all the time."
Obviously, the Bills would like more time for Whitner to pick up the game's rudiments but Matt Bowen, currently penciled in as the starter at strong safety, is nursing a sore bone bruise on his lower right leg that has limited his practice for the last week. Strong safety Coy Wire, who returned to practice on Monday, has also missed time with a pulled abdominal muscle. That means more reps for Whitner and it could quicken his maturation process.
"Everybody wants to be No. 1," Whitner said. "You just wait until your number is called. Hopefully that's soon; if not, I'll just wait."
Being thrust into a situation could hinder any rookie's development, but the Bills have high expectations for the player selected with the eighth overall pick.
"He's got excellent speed and excellent quickness," Bills defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. "If he can put together the call on our defense, we expect some good fundamental play out of him. Nothing more, nothing less."
Whitner earned his first start at strong safety last Friday night against Cincinnati in place of Bowen and was credited with two assists for tackles and a pass deflection. It was a vast improvement over his first game against Carolina two weeks ago when Fewell said Whitner's play was not as sharp as expected.
There were times during man coverage when Whitner dropped when he should have remained on the receiver, and he was out of place in some zone coverages. But once corrected, Fewell said, Whitner generally doesn't repeat mistakes.
"Once I know what everyone is doing around me and I get confident in what I see and know everything from the top of my head, I'll be fine," Whitner said. "I'm learning every day."
It was only practice, but Whitner offered a peek into his potential last Thursday. It's called a flip play, commonly run in the league, where the running back scats away from the strong safety for a reception. Whitner read the play immediately, pounced on it and broke it up.
"He zoomed on it like a cat," Fewell said. "I've seen second- and third-year veterans miss that play, I've seen Pro Bowlers miss that play, and he jumped all over it."
Whitner has all the physical tools to be an outstanding player, Fewell said. How good depends on his consistency.
"He has to do it every day back to back," Fewell said. "It's a little bit more difficult than the college level. Everyone is fast, everyone is quick and the game is a lot quicker for you. But he's getting better with each rep."
e-mail: rmckissic@buffnews.com
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http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial...22/1049727.asp
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