Question: Why did we trade spikes

[jbisset]

Why did we make this trade? Did Spokes want out? Walker is a starting DT in the NFL...but nothing more than average. What am I missing?

[Scumbag College]

Salary, missing 17 games due to injury the past two years, not fitting the Bills Defensive scheme, last year of a contract before a ridiculously high extension price, a desperate need for another DT, Ellison and Crowell making more plays last year and Spikes being almost invisible besides the first play of scrimmage of the year, overall youth movement on defense, and alot of LBs in this years draft that would fit the Cover 2 better than Spikes.

[Tatonka]

i didnt realize the eagles typically signed just average DTs to 7 year contracts.. weird.

[ublinkwescore]

Oh yeah, and a major reason - Spikes didn't want to be here - usually, when that happens, those particular players can become cancers in the locker room.

[jbisset]

Walker had a few great games at the start of last year. I understand the money issue However, now we need a CB, RB and LB. As for the young LBs I do not see any of them as a future Pro Bowler, do you? Also, I like big DT to stop the run. DE to rush the passer along with stopping the outside run. The LB to do both - stop the run and rush the passer.

We better have a great draft. Wonder what the 2008 pick from the eagles will be. Funny thing, last year the eagles traded for a very good WR and this year for our LB. The Eagles are alway under the salary cap.

[Scumbag College]

I think it would have been a real dog fight in training camp between Spikes and Ellison if Crowell isn't moved to ILB for the other starting spot at OLB. With this trade and depending on the draft, the Bills can keep Crowell at OLB and go RB in the first and ILB in the second or vice versa and have two projected starters. Also, now I really think DT will not have to be addressed until late in the draft, if at all.

[Tatonka]

8 sacks from a DT is awful.

i mean it would be second to the schobel on our team.. but.. hey.. what the hell do i know.

[gil]

Why did we make this trade? Did Spokes want out?

when you put playing cards in Spokes they sound like a motorcycle!!

[mikemac2001]

when you put playing cards in Spokes they sound like a motorcycle!!


i think he meant spikes :clap:

[jamesiscool]

8 sacks from a DT is awful.

i mean it would be second to the schobel on our team.. but.. hey.. what the hell do i know.

yea especially when this team DOESN'T employ DT's to get to the passer and disrupt things.

nope.... not here. why dont we sign some fat guys to sit on the middle of the line and eat up blockers... isn's that the tampa 2???!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?

i love it.

[jbisset]

yea especially when this team DOESN'T employ DT's to get to the passer and disrupt things.

nope.... not here. why dont we sign some fat guys to sit on the middle of the line and eat up blockers... isn's that the tampa 2???!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?

i love it.


Didn't that make us the second best D in the NFL a few years ago. Last year anyone could run on us.

[The Answer]

Why did we make this trade? Did Spokes want out? Walker is a starting DT in the NFL...but nothing more than average. What am I missing?

He's a shell of his former self - and he wanted out of a sinking ship and a chance to be in the playoffs for the first time in his career.

Honestly he was pretty much a throw in to sweeten the Holcomb/Walker trade.

~The Answer

[JJamezz]

Didn't that make us the second best D in the NFL a few years ago. Last year anyone could run on us.

Like it or not man, big DT's are not a part of the Tampa-2.

I don't know how many times this has to be mentioned before people grasp it, but this defense WILL give up yards on the ground - granted, ideally less than last year, but a Tampa-2 defense isn't gonna be in the top of league in run D. The whole defense is predicated on not giving up points and big plays.

Whether we personnel to get it done on the D-line now, time will tell.. IMO any move that keeps Tim Anderson off the field is a huge positive - barring injury, he's not going to see the field very much now.

[TacklingDummy]

8 sacks from a DT is awful.



It was 6 sacks. And 3 of them were on Drew Bledsoe.

[OpIv37]

Like it or not man, big DT's are not a part of the Tampa-2.

I don't know how many times this has to be mentioned before people grasp it, but this defense WILL give up yards on the ground - granted, ideally less than last year, but a Tampa-2 defense isn't gonna be in the top of league in run D. The whole defense is predicated on not giving up points and big plays.

Whether we personnel to get it done on the D-line now, time will tell.. IMO any move that keeps Tim Anderson off the field is a huge positive - barring injury, he's not going to see the field very much now.

I couldn't agree more on Anderson.

I really hate the strategy of not stopping the run. It keeps the D on the field for too long. Any "bend but don't break" D will break if they're on the field for 40 minutes a game. It puts more pressure on the offense for sustained drives (another area where we struggled last year).