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Next up in the free agent preview series is DB Jonathan Wilhite. Coming out of Auburn, Wilhite was taken in the 4th round of the 2008 draft by the New England Patriots. For most of the 2008 season he would play behind, of all people, Deltha O'Neil before assuming the starting role for the last quarter of the season. He would play sporadically over the next couple seasons until the "Turk" knocked on his door at the end of Patriots training camp in 2011. Less than a week later he was a Denver Bronco.
Jonathan is not the first Wilhite to wear the orange and blue. However, there is no relation between him and back-flipping sensation/legend RB Gerald Willhite (note the extra "L" in his name).
2011 Highlights:
Wilhite showed great promise early in the season. In week two against the Cincinnati Bengals and in week three against the Tennessee Titans, he was able to sack the quarterback. In the week four blow-out loss against the Green Bay Packers, Wilhite managed to pick off NFL MVP Aaron Rogers one time.
With those accomplishments aside Wilhite only managed to appear in four more games the rest of the season and was unimpressive otherwise. He made $600,000 in 2011 and with four accrued seasons, his minimum pay would more than likely be $700,000K in 2012 should the Broncos choose to bring him back.
The second half of the 2011 season saw Wilhite amass only three tackles. With production like that, I would be surprised to see this Wilhite back with the Broncos in 2012.
Go Broncos!