Donte Whitner

onte Whitner's days in Buffalo may be coming to an end. According to Buffalo Sports Daily, there's a rumor going around a Washington Redskins fan Web site that Whitner will be landing in our Nation's Capitol by March 5th. Details about what the Buffalo Bills could get in return in a trade for Whitner weren't discussed. Of course, this is just a rumor, but it shouldn't surprise any Buffalo Bills fans if they decide to give Whitner the boot. Whitner is a free agent after next year and there's already a log jam of decent safeties on the Bills' roster.

Plus, Whitner has always seemed to be lagging in pass coverage skill and has never lived up to his eighth overall draft status. I'll be frank. As much as I've picked on Whitner for not getting interceptions or ever seeing him really make an impact on the field, I'll be a little saddened if he ends up leaving. You can tell that the guy really cares about trying to get the Bills out of the cellar that they have been inhabiting for the last 10 years. When I read that Whitner was crying in his locker room after the Bills' opening night loss against the Patriots, I couldn't help but feel bad for the poor guy.

Unfortunately, he's becoming expendable and it's important for the Buffalo Bills to get some sort value for him. I think he's worth a second rounder or a decent player in return.

http://www.metrowny.com/blogs/archiv...75b0xw00d.html


I would love for him to come here.

For the record, here is where that original rumor began

Bills Strong Safety Donte Whitner is a Redskin? - Hogs Haven (http://www.hogshaven.com/2010/2/12/1307276/bills-strong-safety-donte-whitner)

Is he a FS? and do you think the Bills would want LaRon??

One of the posters on the original link posted by SS has a good point: isn't strong safety an area we have plenty of depth in? Especially if we move landry to SS like a lot of people want to do, and even if we release/trade horton and/or doughty? Do you like whitner because he might be able to play FS/CB, or am I missing something?

This makes ZERO sense. The only way this happens is if either the Bills release Whitner, or trade him.

Free Agency rules have changed with the lack of a collective bargining agreement.

Under the CBA, a player was eligible to become an Unrestricted Free Agent after 4 years in the league.

But now that there is no CBA and we are looking at an uncapped year, the rules for Free Agency has changed.

Effective March 5th (when FA starts), players must now have a minimum of 6 years in the league to be an unrestricted free agent. Whitner has 4 years in the league. So IF there were still a CBA, he would be a UFA.

But now that there are new rules for Free Agency in place, Whitner has to wait 2 more years to be an Unrestricted Free Agent.

The way it looks right now, Whitner will be a RESTRICTED Free Agent on March 5th. Which means the Bill place a "tender" on him. And if any team signs him, it will cost the new team draft picks.

So the Bills would have to release Whitner before he could negotiate freely with any other teams.

They article states the Bills would get rid of him cuz they already have an abundance of good safeties on their roster so i highly doubt they would want Laron. Besides, we'd be much better served with Laron @ SS and Kareem Moore or Eric Berry @ FS (I am a Kareem Moore fan). I could see a Rogers for Whitner scenario but i dont think we need to trade for him. It would be a wasted move.

This makes ZERO sense. The only way this happens is if either the Bills release Whitner, or trade him.

Free Agency rules have changed with the lack of a collective bargining agreement.

Under the CBA, a player was eligible to become an Unrestricted Free Agent after 4 years in the league.

But now that there is no CBA and we are looking at an uncapped year, the rules for Free Agency has changed.

Effective March 5th (when FA starts), players must now have a minimum of 6 years in the league to be an unrestricted free agent. Whitner has 4 years in the league. So IF there were still a CBA, he would be a UFA.

But now that there are new rules for Free Agency in place, Whitner has to wait 2 more years to be an Unrestricted Free Agent.

The way it looks right now, Whitner will be a RESTRICTED Free Agent on March 5th. Which means the Bill place a "tender" on him. And if any team signs him, it will cost the new team draft picks.

So the Bills would have to release Whitner before he could negotiate freely with any other teams.

sandy the article is premised upon the bills trading him.

i really dont think we need another safety, especially if the bills want a 2nd or comparable player in return.

I think that this has already come up before. I don't see the point in getting him unless we know that we're moving some safeties off of the roster in one way or another.. and possibly keeping Landry at FS.

If he was a FA this would make more sense, why the hell would we trade for him? Unless it was some sort of a package deal including other players (Parrish from them.. ?? from us)