Bills' Greer meets new challenge
Cornerback battles trio of rookies
PITTSFORD — Buffalo Bills cornerback Jabari Greer was having dinner with his fiancee the day of the NFL draft last April when he learned some disturbing news:
The Bills had chosen cornerback Leodis McKelvin in the first round.
Greer was just getting over the shock, and perhaps some indigestion, over the McKelvin pick when on the draft’s second day the Bills took two more cornerbacks — Reggie Corner in the fourth round and Kennard Cox in the seventh.
“It was a surprise,” Greer said. “You never know which way they intend to go. But obviously they sent a message that we weren’t good enough at cornerback. It was a situation where I had to look in the mirror and ask myself what I need to do to get better.
“But after talking to my family and praying about it, I saw it as an opportunity for me to take it two ways. You can say, ‘OK, this is how it’s going to be,’ or you can say, ‘This is what I’m about to make it.’ I’m choosing to make my future, to take control of the things I can control, to be the best that I can be and at the end of the day let the results speak for themselves.”
So far, the results have shown why removing Greer from the starting lineup will not be easy.
As he always does this time of year, Greer is having another outstanding training camp. His play has drawn raves from coaches and teammates alike.
“Jabari is a competitor,” fellow starting cornerback Terrence McGee said. “In this game, you always have somebody trying to take your job. You just have to rise to the challenge, and Jabari has done that.”
Greer has been meeting challenges head-on since he joined the Bills as an undrafted rookie out of Tennessee in 2004. He appeared in 44 games, including three starts as a nickel back, during his first three years. He went into last season as the fourth cornerback, but after injuries to Jason Webster and Ashton Youboty, he became a starter by Week Four.
“In football, it’s all about getting the opportunity,” he said. “How I got the starting job was unfortunate, but I had a job to do and I did it to the best of my ability.”
Did he ever.
He finished the season with 47 tackles, a forced fumble and 17 defended passes. His September 30 performance against the New York Jets (six tackles, two pass breakups and a fourth-quarter interception) earned him AFC defensive player of the week honors.
Greer’s reward? The Bills drafting McKelvin, the 11th player selected overall.
Greer is enough of a realist to know that the Bills drafted McKelvin that high because they expect him to ultimately become a starter. But even though McKelvin has blazing speed and possesses more physical talent than Greer, the hotshot rookie is not close to unseating the wily veteran.
“When you draft a guy at 11, it’s always that pressure for the guy to be the starter,” defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. “But Jabari hasn’t backed down. It’s made Jabari better, in my opinion. You see the veteran savvy in him, what he’s learned over the years, and his intelligence.
“If he keeps on keeping on, Jabari is going to be a starter for us and the rest of the guys are going to have to challenge. And that’s the way it should be. If the other guy turns out to be a better player and the preseason games or regular season games tell it, so be it. But right now, Jabari is not letting go that position.”
Fewell saidthe 5-foot-11, 180- pound Greer is rarely out of position and he possesses an uncanny knack for anticipating plays and getting his hands on a lot of balls.
The entire country saw that ability during a Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys in October last season as Greer made what appeared to be the game-saving play when he broke up a two-point conversion pass intended for All-Pro receiver Terrell Owens.
Greer also broke up a fourth-down pass in the final seconds to preserve a win at Miami the following month.
Greer understands the Bills made a business decision in bringing McKelvin and the other cornerbacks aboard. After injuries depleted the roster last season, the Bills did not want to be caught short-handed again.
But Greer has relished the competition.
“In this game, you can’t take anything for granted,” said Greer, who indicated he came into camp in the best shape of his life. “So you work hard to maximize your opportunities. You do the best you can for as long as you can because at the end of the day that’s how a successful career is going to be judged.”
