Opening Statement:  Safety is a position that has been - for the most part - overlooked by many Bills fans early this offseason, most likely because of the numerous other glaring needs, including center, defensive end, tight end and linebacker (after three years of Dick Juaron, shouldn't there be less holes each year - not more?!).  Whitner is a solid starter, but has failed to live up to expectations as the number 8 overall draft pick in the 2006 draft.  Bryan Scott has been a journeyman for most of his career, before having a couple of nice seasons with Buffalo.  He'd be a serviceable starter, but there is definitely room for improvement.  Ko Simpson has done nothing for me and his latest antics ("I'm worth millions!") hasn't helped his standing with the team.  The "others," George Wilson and John Wendling aren't much to speak of in terms of starting material.  With that in mind, here's a look at some of the potential free agent safeties in 2009:

O.J. Atogwe (SS - St. Louis)

Measurables:  5-11, 210 Pounds, 28 years old

2008 Stats:  85 tackles, 6 forced fumbles, and 5 interceptions

Availability:  St. Louis wants to retain him and he is a candidate for the franchise tag    

One (or a few) things to know:  Has 13 interceptions in past two seasons.  Takes a lot of gambles, but they pay off more then they fail.

ESPN Scouting Report: He is an adequate overall athlete with good size and adequate speed. He has adequate foot quickness in his pedal to gain depth. He doesn't show much burst in transition or when making the flip. After he clears his hips, he has good acceleration and straight-line speed. He looks better on the move than with making transitions and flips. He shows good ability to close after changing direction, but he does stall some when redirecting and takes extra steps. If he's forced to make multiple speed turns, he tends to drift and will lose his footing. His angles are adequate. Good route runners who can bend and sell the route are able to get him to open his hips. He shows good quickness and body control with short-area, man-to-man responsibilities. He is also an effective blitzer who closes fast and usually times it up well. In run support, he shows inconsistent reactions. He tends to get locked on his first read and angles are inconsistent. A good stiff arm can be effective against him because he gets upright. When in chase he has straight line speed and can cover ground once he opens his stride.

Mike Brown (FS - Chicago)

Measurables:  5-11, 207 pounds, 31 years old

2008 Stats:  73 tackles, 0 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions

Availability:  Because of injury concerns (see below) he may be available.  Teams will be cautious not to give him too much money - or too long of a deal.

One (or a few) things to know:   Has suffered through multiple injuries over the years.   He did play 15 games in 2008, but was placed on IR at the end of the season.   He did play in year pro who has played his entire career in Chicago.

ESPN Scouting Report: Brown is going into his ninth season and, when healthy, he is one of the most instinctive and active safeties in the league. He has average size, but good athleticism and functional strength. His intelligence and instincts are excellent. His ability to make adjustments and get his teammates aligned is outstanding. Brown can read and react effectively with the ability to fill quickly in run support or well as leverage receivers versus the pass. He shows great ability to jump routes and his anticipation and effectiveness at reading route progressions enables him to play faster than he is. He shows power on contact when tackling. He is best is zone-coverage out of centerfield, but can be effective in combination-man schemes. Brown is a good football player who has obvious durability issues, but is an impact player on the Bears' defense.

Renaldo Hill (S - Miami)

Measurables: 5-11, 205 pounds, 30 years old

2008 Stats:  77 tackles, 0 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions

Availability:  Miami may let him walk.

One (or a few) things to know:  He has played for 3 different teams in his 8 year career.  He has career 15 interceptions. 

ESPN Scouting Report: Hill is an undersized safety who has good athleticism. He had been a durable player prior to 2007, when he had a season-ending injury. He is a hard-nosed player who is active and fills the alley quickly. He is an athletic player who keeps leverage with body control, technique and instincts. He uses his hands well to stay active to the pile. Hill is a smart player who is versatile to line up in the box, off the hash or as a nickel defender. He is best in combination-man or zone schemes, but may be a liability in pure man coverage. He runs well, but is an explosive athlete who can make up ground when out of position. He reacts well to break points and maintains leverage on receivers with a solid peddle and confidence in his short-area quickness. He is a competitive player who will square up in a crease, but isn't as physical as many safeties in the league. He brings depth and versatility to the Dolphins' secondary.

Sean Jones (SS - Cleveland)

Measurables:  6-1, 220 pounds, 27 years old

2008 Stats:  56 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 4 interceptions

Availability: He wants to remain a Brown, but doesn't know what the future holds

One (or a few) things to know:  In his 4 year career he has 14 interceptions (0, 5, 4, 5, respectfully). 

ESPN Scouting Report: Jones is the Browns' starting strong safety. He is big, physical and talented. His season was somewhat up and down in 2007, but he really put himself on the map in 2006 as an impact player. Too many tight ends got behind Jones last season, particularly early in the season, but he remains a formidable starter in this league. While 2007 was somewhat of a down year for Jones, he is still a very consistent producer and one of the more productive safeties in the NFL over the past two seasons. He produces a lot of tackles as an extra defender in the box and intercepts more than his share of passes with excellent anticipation and soft hands. As strong safeties go, Jones has good range and isn't a liability when asked to cover a deep half of the field, but his deep ball skills are still a work in progress. He is an enforcer who hits with power. Against the run, he is an immediate force, but can be too aggressive when dealing with play-action. He also blitzes well. Mentally, Jones is still a work in progress, but from a size, speed and production standpoint, he is impressive and his best work might still be ahead of him.

Jermaine Phillips (SS - Tampa Bay)

Measurables:  6'2, 220 pounds, will be 30 years old)

2008 Stats:  59 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 3 interceptions

Availability:  He would "love" to return to the Bucs, but Tampa Bay could decided to go the cheaper route and go with the younger Sabby Piscitelli. 

One (or a few) things to know:  Has spent his 7 year career in Tampa.  He has 11 career interceptions, but 7 of those 11 have been in the past two seasons.

ESPN's Scouting Report: Phillips has excellent size for the position, but has struggled to stay healthy for a whole season. He is more effective the closer he lines up to the line of scrimmage. He can struggle in deep zones and is a little slow to react and break on the ball. He is just adequate in transition and tends to take extra steps to get realigned and to drive on the ball. He shows decent route recognition and does a good job of reading the quarterback's eyes to get a jump on the ball. He plays with good leverage on the ball and does a good job of coming downhill to make plays at, or close to, the line of scrimmage. He seems to be improving in his open-field tackling skills. He is aggressive in run support and will insert himself with abandon. While he is not an elite strong safety, he has become an adequate starter who does more than just carry his own weight in the secondary.