Buddy Nix: "We Obviously Need A Safety"

by Brian Galliford on Feb 24, 2011 5:33 PM EST in Buffalo Bills News

It wasn't exactly a secret, given that the team is courting free agents Bob Sanders and O.J. Atogwe, but Buffalo Bills GM Buddy Nix is looking for an upgrade at the safety position.

"It went good," Nix said of Sanders' Tuesday free agent visit. "We gave him a physical and we said we're going to give it some thought and we'll look at it. We obviously need a safety and we'll get it one or the other."

It's unclear whether the Bills feel they need to upgrade at safety because they're unsatisfied with their personnel, or because of the impending free agent status of both Donte Whitner and George Wilson. Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 asked Nix specifically if their courtship of Sanders and Atogwe meant that Whitner's Bills career was over.

"That's up to Donte," Nix replied.

Strong words from Buffalo's GM - not only toward Whitner, but about a position that was viewed as one of Buffalo's deepest throughout the 2010 season.

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Comments

Good

Im really glad that the bills are not going to overpay for an average strong safety with no coverage skills.

by Eric Murawski on Feb 24, 2011 5:41 PM EST reply actions

Needs

Be easier for Chan to say what positions aren’t in need!

QB or D? What are we gonna do at #3?

by buffalobacker on Feb 24, 2011 5:50 PM EST reply actions

RB & C

That is all.

Would be the shortest press conference in history.

2011 - Revenge of the Bills fan !

by Will G on Feb 24, 2011 5:56 PM EST up reply actions

you guys aren't satisfied with your guard situation?

i was under the impression the Bills had pretty good guards.

We don't need 8 in the box. We have 52 in the box.

by these3words on Feb 24, 2011 6:12 PM EST up reply actions

Wood moving to center

has left a void on the right side. Hang is solid but were missing the other half

by dwwhite190 on Feb 24, 2011 6:40 PM EST up reply actions

If Wood stayed at right Guard I would change my comment to RB and G. Since it looks like he’ll stay at C we have a question at RG – Urbik looks like the starter, thats a position which I feel could still be upgraded.

2011 - Revenge of the Bills fan !

by Will G on Feb 24, 2011 6:49 PM EST up reply actions

or Rinehart

by dgrid on Feb 24, 2011 8:11 PM EST up reply actions

okay, that explains it.

i didn’t realize Eric Wood had moved to Center.

We don't need 8 in the box. We have 52 in the box.

by these3words on Feb 25, 2011 4:45 AM EST up reply actions

Donte is already dead to Nix

Grumpy old dudes don’t like to be messed with. He will never wear a Bills uniform again.

"Adversity is an opportunity for heroism." Marv Levy.

by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Feb 24, 2011 5:59 PM EST reply actions

Grumpy old dudes don’t like to be messed with

Do you know this from experience my friend? :)

i’m sure i’m going to regret this conversation… but what the hell - J2

by poz on Feb 24, 2011 8:10 PM EST up reply actions

Yes I do Sir!
Young guys who do something stupid get a break with me every single time.
Just immaturity. And they are loyal to you like rabid dogs for sticking up for them.
Mature guys (who know better) that want to bow up and talk a lot of crap to the others only are signing their own pink slip. EVERYONE is replaceable.

I’ll take a young dude who is hungry as hell over a mature guy who thinks the organization owes him something.

"Adversity is an opportunity for heroism." Marv Levy.

by SERGEANT MAJOR THOR on Feb 24, 2011 9:14 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

That's 20+ years of military experience talking!

Not only do you see it on a maturity level, you see it on an educational level as well. I will take a guy that isn’t set on all the knowledge stuff 9 times out of 10 because he works harder to compensate for that, than the guy who “knows everything!”

Brought to you from Camp Prosser, Afghanistan

by teq on Feb 24, 2011 11:21 PM EST up reply actions

rec'd!

i’m sure i’m going to regret this conversation… but what the hell - J2

by poz on Feb 25, 2011 3:10 AM EST up reply actions

Bingo!!

I salute —Sergeant Major Sir!!

Excellent points…

"It ain't supposed to make sense. It's faith. Faith is something you believe that nobody in his right mind would believe."

- Archie Bunker, "All In The Family"

by Goose22 on Feb 25, 2011 8:50 AM EST up reply actions

I like the approach from Nix

Donte, sign at our price or F – off basically. In the meantime we’ll shop for upgrades / better players at or under the ridiculous money you’re asking.

2011 - Revenge of the Bills fan !

by Will G on Feb 24, 2011 6:02 PM EST reply actions

yup

We obviously need a safety and we’ll get it one or the other.

Comments like that are one of the reasons I like Nix.

i’m sure i’m going to regret this conversation… but what the hell - J2

by poz on Feb 24, 2011 8:11 PM EST up reply actions

Its about time Nix actually says something that I do like!

by monk43085 on Feb 25, 2011 10:34 AM EST up reply actions

sounds like angry parent talk

“Hey, Mr. W, is lil’ Donte going to be grounded all weekend?”

“That’s up to Donte…”

@majorgruve

by Undee on Feb 24, 2011 6:13 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Draft

If the bills pick up one of the 2 safeties we can forget about drafting one and I think whitner will be gone the way contract neg are going. Cornerback could be more important than safety. i like that they put a price on the table and left it up to him to decide. I wouldn’t mind him staying as he is comfortable with the system but in this league he may be a hair edge above average. How good is atogwe? Also if they signed atogwe, if rahim moore was still available in the second, do you think the bills take him? How would atowge compare to the possible rookie? Also people are high on paterson as a corner but have spoken with amateur draft technicians and a fair amount think he would serve as a better safety? Isn’t #3 high for a safety. Go bills

by billleve on Feb 24, 2011 7:58 PM EST reply actions

Witty Whitner

He is going to go thru sticker shock when he finds out on the open market he is not worth 7 mill a year. I’ll guess he might snag 4-5 mill average including a signing bonus. There will be a team interested in the #8 overall pick in the 2006 draft who is coming off a career best 140 tackles. He is still young and is a 5 year vet. The Bills have a history to not resigning DB’s…

If they let Donte go and draft Peterson it will continue the pattern of letting a DB go only to use another high draft pick on another (create a hole— fill a hole).

"It ain't supposed to make sense. It's faith. Faith is something you believe that nobody in his right mind would believe."

- Archie Bunker, "All In The Family"

by Goose22 on Feb 25, 2011 9:01 AM EST reply actions