Whitner excited about position switch

ORCHARD PARK, NY (WIVB) - Its the one major change to the Bills defense.  It started at the end of last year, but its a go for 2009.  Donte Whitner, a starter at strong safety since entering the NFL, will move to free safety this year.  Veteran Bryan Scott will play the strong safety position.

The change started in the last two games of 2008, when Whitner made the position move to free safety.  Scott started four games at free safety, with Whitner remaining at his normal position.  Scott has clearly surpassed Ko Simmpson, who started 11 games last year.

Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell says the change comes because  Whitner and Scott are not classic free and strong safeties, but give the defense flexibility.

"I've been wanting to get to that point for a number of years now," said Fewell, "people just can't say he is the strong safety, he is always going to do this.  It gives us a lot of flexibility."

Whitner likes the move, because it allows him get away from being a run-stopper and puts him in position to make more plays.

"I’m going to have the opportunity to make some plays at the free safety," he said, "When you’re playing strong safety and you’re down in the box, you’re really almost a tackler, the eighth guy in the box to shore up the front so no long runs break out of there. Now I have the opportunity to roam back there, get some big hits, interceptions, all of the different things that show up on the stat sheet, so I’m looking forward to it."

Whitner has only two career interceptions and four career forced fumbles.  He attributes that to playing mostly as a "tackler" inside the box.

"I wouldn’t say I didn’t have any big plays. I’ve had big plays as a strong safety, whether it be tackles for loss, anything in the box, all of that stuff, but I haven’t been able to play the middle of the field in coverage in the secondary as much as I would have liked. Whatever they ask me to do, I do, and I do it to the best of my abilities, but I’m getting the opportunity now, so we’ll see. I’m going into my fourth year and I’m getting the opportunity to play some free safety and we’ll see."

Scott, a seven year veteran, enjoys his role and feels like teaming with Whitner will make the Bills defense harder to figure out.

"We get great disguise looks," says Scott, "Donte can play down in the box, he can play in the middle of the field, and so can I.  When your safeties are interchangable like that, it really confuses the offense."

This tandem and these changes may only be temporary.  The Bills drafted free safety Jairus Byrd in the second round, and once he's ready, that would mean a move back to strong safety for Whitner.  Byrd has missed all of these OTA's because his class at Oregon has not graduated.  He is expected to attend next week's minicamp.