LouGrant
03-10-2003, 03:33 PM
<center><img src="http://www.billszone.com/images/banners/gameday2002/seasonend2002-60.jpg" border="2"></center>
<h3><a href="http://www.billszone.com/YourSite/global/templates/view.php?action=YourSite_content&month=2&state=news&nid=4172"><font color="000000"><B>Buffalo Bills Salary Cap Page</B> </a> - <a href="http://www.billszone.com/YourSite/global/templates/view.php?action=YourSite_content&month=6&state=news&nid=4253"><font color="000000"><B>Buffalo Bills Free Agent Files-2003</B> </a>- <a href="http://www.billszone.com/YourSite/global/templates/view.php?action=YourSite_content&month=2&state=news&nid=4146"> <font color="000000"> <B> NFL Free Agents & Salary Cap Cuts- Team by Team</B> </a></h3>
<h3><a href="http://www.nfl.com/players/12722.htm"><font color="000000"> <B><u>LB Takeo Spikes</u></B> </a></h3>
<img src="http://www.billszone.com/images/players/nfl/spikes005.JPG " align="right" border="2">The Cincinnati Bengals declined to match the offer sheet to veteran linebacker Takeo Spikes by Buffalo, allowing him to start anew with the Bills. ESPN reported that Spikes received a six-year offer worth about $32 million. Spikes desperately wanted to escape the Bengals and asked new Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis not to exercise their right to match the offer to the transition player. The Bengals will not receive any compensation for losing their defensive captain. Spikes, the team's leading tackler four times in his five seasons with the Bengals, has made it clear he has had enough of the losing in Cincinnati. In his five years there, the Bengals were 19-61.
<ul type="disc">
<li> <B>1998</b> Drafted by Bengals in first round (13th overall)
<li> Became first rookie to lead the team in tackles since James Francis in 1990 (112)
<li> <B>1999</b> Elected team captain who started every game for the second consecutive season,
<li> His 105 total tackles ranked second on the Bengals
<li> <b>2000</B> Started every game at RLB and posted career-high 128 tackles
<li> <b>2001</B> Had arthroscopic surgery on left shoulder on 3-27-01, but was 100 percent for training camp
<li> Spikes had his best season winning the team tackling title with 173 and posting 6 sacks
<li> Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance Sept. 23 vs. Baltimore, as he made dramatic 66-yard interception return for a TD, sealing victory that halted a 12-game win streak by the defending Super Bowl champs
</ul>
<b>College Highlights </b>
Chose to enter the draft after his 1997 junior season at Auburn, year in which he was named national Defensive Player of the Year by Football News and first-team All-American by The Sporting News ... Led the 1997 Auburn club with 136 tackles as Tigers advanced to SEC Championship game ... Tied for team lead in '97 with 9 tackles for loss ... As a sophomore, had 119 tackles and was the only sophomore named a semifinalist in competition for Dick Butkus Award (top college LB).
<h3><a href="http://www.billszone.com/YourSite/global/templates/view.php?action=YourSite_content&month=2&state=news&nid=4172"><font color="000000"><B>Buffalo Bills Salary Cap Page</B> </a> - <a href="http://www.billszone.com/YourSite/global/templates/view.php?action=YourSite_content&month=6&state=news&nid=4253"><font color="000000"><B>Buffalo Bills Free Agent Files-2003</B> </a>- <a href="http://www.billszone.com/YourSite/global/templates/view.php?action=YourSite_content&month=2&state=news&nid=4146"> <font color="000000"> <B> NFL Free Agents & Salary Cap Cuts- Team by Team</B> </a></h3>
<h3><a href="http://www.nfl.com/players/12722.htm"><font color="000000"> <B><u>LB Takeo Spikes</u></B> </a></h3>
<img src="http://www.billszone.com/images/players/nfl/spikes005.JPG " align="right" border="2">The Cincinnati Bengals declined to match the offer sheet to veteran linebacker Takeo Spikes by Buffalo, allowing him to start anew with the Bills. ESPN reported that Spikes received a six-year offer worth about $32 million. Spikes desperately wanted to escape the Bengals and asked new Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis not to exercise their right to match the offer to the transition player. The Bengals will not receive any compensation for losing their defensive captain. Spikes, the team's leading tackler four times in his five seasons with the Bengals, has made it clear he has had enough of the losing in Cincinnati. In his five years there, the Bengals were 19-61.
<ul type="disc">
<li> <B>1998</b> Drafted by Bengals in first round (13th overall)
<li> Became first rookie to lead the team in tackles since James Francis in 1990 (112)
<li> <B>1999</b> Elected team captain who started every game for the second consecutive season,
<li> His 105 total tackles ranked second on the Bengals
<li> <b>2000</B> Started every game at RLB and posted career-high 128 tackles
<li> <b>2001</B> Had arthroscopic surgery on left shoulder on 3-27-01, but was 100 percent for training camp
<li> Spikes had his best season winning the team tackling title with 173 and posting 6 sacks
<li> Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance Sept. 23 vs. Baltimore, as he made dramatic 66-yard interception return for a TD, sealing victory that halted a 12-game win streak by the defending Super Bowl champs
</ul>
<b>College Highlights </b>
Chose to enter the draft after his 1997 junior season at Auburn, year in which he was named national Defensive Player of the Year by Football News and first-team All-American by The Sporting News ... Led the 1997 Auburn club with 136 tackles as Tigers advanced to SEC Championship game ... Tied for team lead in '97 with 9 tackles for loss ... As a sophomore, had 119 tackles and was the only sophomore named a semifinalist in competition for Dick Butkus Award (top college LB).