Clayton: Spikes asked for trade, might end up on Eagles

[Ickybaluky]

From John Clayton of ESPN (http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=2812935&name=clayton_john&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d2812935%26name%3dclayton_john):


The Eagles have jumped to the front of the Takeo Spikes sweepstakes and something could happen quickly. Spikes asked to be released or traded more than a month ago. The Bills quietly shopped him for the past few weeks with the Eagles and Giants showing the most interest. Spikes is hoping to hear sometime Monday that a deal could be done. The plan would be for Spikes to play outside linebacker for the Eagles. The former Bengal was also willing to go back to Cincinnati but the Bengals weren't interested in his $4.5 million salary.

[Canadian'eh!]

Clayton probably has this ass backwards too.... no one else has reported he asked for the trade that i can remember....

[Don't Panic]

Clayton probably has this ass backwards too.... no one else has reported he asked for the trade that i can remember....

But if he didn't, why are we shopping him so aggressively? I understand sending out a feeler, but everything we're hearing puts OBD's desire to rid themselves of him on par with the desire they had to get rid of McGahee. I think there's some truth to it... let's just hope we get a 4th out of the deal.

[patmoran2006]

Wouldnt blame him at all if he did.

[Earthquake Enyart]

I find it hard to believe that anybody would pick him up for the $4.5 mil.

[Saratoga Slim]

I find it hard to believe that anybody would pick him up for the $4.5 mil.

You know, the simple fact that theres apparently such a small market for TKO underscores what a big risk he is for this season, given the salary he's supposed to get.

I'm on record as saying I hope that we find a way to keep him and I still do. But if he really was close to being back to top form, there'd be a lot of teams that'd be happy to pay him 4.5. He's not a player like June who's limited to a particular system. TKO could play anywhere, and he's the type of guy any team wants in their locker room. Teams must really not like what they saw on film last year, and aren't finding reasons to think that this year's going to be much better. I feel terrible for the guy.

[patmoran2006]

You know, the simple fact that theres apparently such a small market for TKO underscores what a big risk he is for this season, given the salary he's supposed to get.

I'm on record as saying I hope that we find a way to keep him and I still do. But if he really was close to being back to top form, there'd be a lot of teams that'd be happy to pay him 4.5. He's not a player like June who's limited to a particular system. TKO could play anywhere, and he's the type of guy any team wants in their locker room. Teams must really not like what they saw on film last year, and aren't finding reasons to think that this year's going to be much better. I feel terrible for the guy.
He is a risk.. championship teams win by taking risks.

There's a chance he may never return to his former self. But if the does, some team is going to get one of the best LB's in football.

Sitting $19 million under the cap with what should be no financial reason to just give up on him, the Bills refuse to risk anything.

They rarely do, and that's why we are the "merry go round of mediocrity"

That's why long time underachievers and "who cares" players like Josh Reed, and Peerless Price and Ryan Denney and Coy Wire are always brought back... and guys like Kelsay who are decent at best are given over-sized contracts.

[Saratoga Slim]

If he's asking to be traded, it does kind of change the calculus on whether or not it's the right move by the FO. If he truly doesn't want to be here anymore, its harder to trumpet the value of his presence in the locker room etc as one of the main values of having him around.

It is nice to see that whatever he's feeling, he's only talking in private to his bosses at OBD, not to the media. Just another example of how we out here don't have the full story on many of these personnel decisions.

[TacklingDummy]

Clayton probably has this ass backwards too.... no one else has reported he asked for the trade that i can remember....

I said more than a month ago that I wouldn't be surprised Spikes asked to be traded or cut. All the people he was friends with have signed elsewhere why would he want to stay?

[bigbub2352]

Also the fact that a team could sign him immediately after this season, give up nothing to get him, see if he is back to his old self, and sign him for way cheaper then he is making in Buffalo

Also says that Marv is tryin to get this guy out of here so he is not a BABY in the locker room, and also the fact that we get nothing for him at the end of the year, Move him now and get what u can

Use the money to draft and bring in players who want to be here and want to build a championship, i am sick of these premadonna babies, and there *****ing and complaining Play the ****ING GAME!

[Saratoga Slim]

He is a risk.. championship teams win by taking risks.

There's a chance he may never return to his former self. But if the does, some team is going to get one of the best LB's in football.

Sitting $19 million under the cap with what should be no financial reason to just give up on him, the Bills refuse to risk anything.

They rarely do, and that's why we are the "merry go round of mediocrity"

That's why long time underachievers and "who cares" players like Josh Reed, and Peerless Price and Ryan Denney and Coy Wire are always brought back... and guys like Kelsay who are decent at best are given over-sized contracts.

Championship teams win by taking good risks, bad teams lose by taking bad risks. I agree that on paper the potential upside of keeping TKO outweighs the risk. And knowing what I know, I'd keep him and find a way to come up with the money we need. But there may very well be more to it. Who knows what the team doctors are telling Marv, and who knows how anxious TKO is to get out of here. Maybe he's still not much improved over where he was at the end of the season, and the clock is ticking towards opening day.

Playing arm-chair GM, I'd keep him no questions asked. And I'm going to be very bummed if we move him. But if we do, it's not going to send me into an anti-OBD rage, because this is a complicated scenario, and we out here are privy to only a small part of the info that a medically-related decision like this requires.

[justasportsfan]

He is a risk.. championship teams win by taking risks.

. I wonder if the colts and bears are in the sweepstakes. The colts lost June and the bears have a locker room cancer tagged.

[The Answer]

From John Clayton of ESPN (http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=2812935&name=clayton_john&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d2812935%26name%3dclayton_john):

Spikes deserves to have a chance to make the playoffs and play for a contender, especially given the reality of his situation anyways.

Was a great player, pre-achilles injury, but is subpar at best now - if we get even a 6th rounder for him it would be a steal.

~The Answer

[Saratoga Slim]

Spikes deserves to have a chance to make the playoffs and play for a contender, especially given the reality of his situation anyways.

Was a great player, pre-achilles injury, but is subpar at best now - if we get even a 6th rounder for him it would be a steal.

~The Answer

I think you're underrating him. Or overrating a 6th round pick. Either way, if we trade him for a 6th round pick, it ain't a "steal".

[justasportsfan]

Could the bills be trying to gain more draft picks to move up the draft? :scratch:

[OpIv37]

Could the bills be trying to gain more draft picks to move up the draft? :scratch:

possibly but for who? Willis is likely to be there at 12 and even if he's not, we'd only have to move up 2-3 slots to guarantee it and we already have more than enough picks to pull that off. If we trade Spikes, LB is obviously our biggest need. Something doesn't add up.

[The Answer]

I think you're underrating him. Or overrating a 6th round pick. Either way, if we trade him for a 6th round pick, it ain't a "steal".

What do you believe he's worth then?

~The Answer

[justasportsfan]

possibly but for who? Willis is likely to be there at 12 and even if he's not, we'd only have to move up 2-3 slots to guarantee it and we already have more than enough picks to pull that off. If we trade Spikes, LB is obviously our biggest need. Something doesn't add up.


move back into the 1st rd?

[Gunzlingr]

I have read that he wants to leave a couple of different places, but nothing official. :idunno:

[OpIv37]

move back into the 1st rd?

I could live with that for a WR or Lynch or something.

[justasportsfan]

I could live with that for a WR or Lynch or something.
safety? :couch:

[Illmatic15]

I would be pissed if my GM didnt re-sign all my friends who are proven vets even after we made improvements last year, I mean we were so close to the playoffs and now we take 3 steps backwards without retaining London, Clements and trading Mcgahee. Atleast we could havekept Fletcher instead of wasting money on Langston Walker.