Brandon Spikes

[casdhf]

IMO, this is the most important UFA that we have this off-season. This is the perfect player for that Bart Scott type role that was successful for the Jets. Anyone hear any news about this guy and if we have a chance to keep him? We have the cap for it. Does 6 mill over 2 years get it done?

[GreedoII]

Nah...I see Harris coming in personally...

[better days]

Yeah, I would not be surprised to see Harris who is a FA sign with the Bills.

Rex likes to bring in players he has had before.

Harris is a good LB but is aging at 30 years old.

[swiper]

Spikes > Harris at this point

[better days]

Spikes > Harris at this point

You may be right.

I am a Spikes fan myself & would be happy to see him stay, but like I said Rex does like to bring in former players.

Maybe the Bills LB will be the cheaper of the two?

[justasportsfan]

Rex referenced Spikes as a player he likes too.

[Ed]

Rex referenced Spikes as a player he likes too.

Yeah, Rex has only ever had great things to say about Spikes and Spikes said that he loved being here. So I would be surprised if they can't work out a deal to bring him back. I guess the only question is, with Kiko returning this season, and Bradham and Brown both really emerging this past season as good LB's, what would be Spikes role? All three of those guys are much more versatile. He already had a limited role last year with Bradham and Brown getting way more snaps at LB.

[Mr. Pink]

Nah...I see Harris coming in personally...

Agree with this.

Spikes will be gone and Harris will replace him.

[jimmifli]

Rex also had a defense that destroyed by Kyle Orton.

Spikes was a monster for us. I don't want any of "Rex's players".

[coastal]

Letting Spikes go would be monumentally stupid.

[better days]

Yeah, Rex has only ever had great things to say about Spikes and Spikes said that he loved being here. So I would be surprised if they can't work out a deal to bring him back. I guess the only question is, with Kiko returning this season, and Bradham and Brown both really emerging this past season as good LB's, what would be Spikes role? All three of those guys are much more versatile. He already had a limited role last year with Bradham and Brown getting way more snaps at LB.

Spikes role would be the same as it has been, a first & second down, third & short run stuffing LB.

He is not only better at that than any other LB on the Bills, he is better at that than any other LB in the NFL.

[jamze132]

Spikes should be our number one focus, yes, even over Hughes.

[GvilleBills]

Spikes should be our number one focus, yes, even over Hughes.

If you mean in house, I'm inclined to agree.
Iupati should be our #1 priority.

[DraftBoy]

Spikes should be our number one focus, yes, even over Hughes.

I'll leave Dareus as the #1 priority and it's not even close.

[YardRat]

With the switch back to a 43 under from the wide nine, Spikes becomes a higher priority than Hughes for sure. I'm still trying to figure out where Kiko fits, because he really doesn't unless Rex is willing to tinker with some things and move him all over the field.

[Mace]

I like Spikes, hope they keep him, have a feeling they don't.

Not sure they bring in Harris though. Alonso worked in Pettine's Ryan system as middle linebacker, calling defensive signals. Lawson worked in it also, and Bradham.

[YardRat]

Kiko was a liability against the run manning the middle for Pettine...would be another blunder to let Spikes walk, not at least sign Harris, and plug Alonso back in.

[Mace]

Kiko was a liability against the run manning the middle for Pettine...would be another blunder to let Spikes walk, not at least sign Harris, and plug Alonso back in.

I'm not real sure Kiko was such a liability against the run so much as he couldn't do everything as a rookie. Preston Brown looks like the other 3 down lb to me.

But my point was more that they have lb's with experience in Ryan's system instead of needing someone to usher it in. I'd hang on to Spikes certainly but pass on Harris.

[YardRat]

I'm not real sure Kiko was such a liability against the run so much as he couldn't do everything as a rookie. Preston Brown looks like the other 3 down lb to me.

But my point was more that they have lb's with experience in Ryan's system instead of needing someone to usher it in. I'd hang on to Spikes certainly but pass on Harris.

He has an awful time engaging, standing up and shedding blockers in the middle...one of the reasons the team would get consistently gashed on runs between the tackles...instead of 'manning up' he'd guess and shoot gaps, basically giving the RB an easy read and free hole to run through. I just don't see him fitting well, unless they use him like Green Bay uses Matthews.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

Letting Spikes go would be monumentally stupid.

Agreed, but 25 years of being a Bills fan has taught me that if I should expect anything from this team it would be the monumentally stupid.

[jamze132]

I'll leave Dareus as the #1 priority and it's not even close.

That goes without saying but Dareus isn't hitting the streets this year...

[YardRat]

Sign him before he hits the streets...that's the idea.

[Night Train]

Preston Brown is more of a Spikes/MLB type. He doesn't move well enough on the outside.

[YardRat]

You need two in Ryan's defense, and I like Spikes-Brown better than Kiko-Brown.

[DraftBoy]

That goes without saying but Dareus isn't hitting the streets this year...

Yes, but our success in retaining high profile players after they've hit the market is just bad.

[better days]

Yes, but our success in retaining high profile players after they've hit the market is just bad.

OK, name me a player that the Bills lost since Pegula bought the team.

[sudzy]

I love Spikes' attitude. I want to see him back. Can Kiko play outside in Rex's defense? He seems athletic enough. The worst case scenario is that you have Spikes, Kiko and Brown rotate at ILB. And with Kiko and Brown still on rookie contracts that not a bad situation.

[yordad]

Kiko is about to be one of the top LBs in the league on passing downs. Combined with one of the best LBs in the league on running downs (spikes) this is a total win win. Hughes is still more important tho, don't be silly. That is why he will end up paid twice as much.

[yordad]

Kiko, Bradham, Spikes, Brown, Hughes..... looks like a LB mix out of a Frankenstein movie. Combined with 3 pro bowl lineman and a good secondary? With sexy rexy as the evil genius? I'm thinking record setting defense.

[jimmifli]

Sign him before he hits the streets...that's the idea.

Not much benefit now. We'll pay market price. If it doesn't get done we can just franchise him and probably save mov\ney from a market deal.

If he gets paid before Suh, he'll be the highest if Suh gets done first he'll be the 2nd highest paid DT.

[Ed]

I love Spikes' attitude. I want to see him back. Can Kiko play outside in Rex's defense? He seems athletic enough. The worst case scenario is that you have Spikes, Kiko and Brown rotate at ILB. And with Kiko and Brown still on rookie contracts that not a bad situation.
I'm almost certain that Dough Whaley said right after the 2013 season that Kiko would be moving to OLB. That was before Pettine was even a candidate for the Cleveland job and it was assumed he would be staying. They basically said that they feel like Kiko can play anywhere, but feel like he's best suited on the outside. I expect Kiko will be an every down player and have a role in whatever packages they use.

[BertSquirtgum]

Brandon Spikes needs to be resigned by the Bills. Period. He is a motivator.

[Buddo]

Harris has been a good player, but he's probably going to be too expensive to sign tbh. He was making good money from the Jest. I'd rather have Spikes anyway. Now Harris may have been banged up a bit, but I didn't think he was the same player this year, at least against us. He looked heavier, and not as quick. In both games.

Spikes does fit the profile of the sort of player that Rex wants, i.e. hard hitting, and a bit of a 'bully', it's hardly surprising he likes him. I really don't think we need to be spending more on getting Harris, especially with Kiko coming back. Just re-sign Spikes, and we are good to go.

I will make an observation though, and that is that Whaley seems to know his LBers. 2 drafts and 2 every down LBers in Kiko and Brown.

[pmoon6]

Agreed, but 25 years of being a Bills fan has taught me that if I should expect anything from this team it would be the monumentally stupid.Ummm. You can't go on what happened yesterday. There is a new Governor and a new Sheriff in town.

[pmoon6]

Keep Spikes, let Hughes go and run a hybrid 3-4 depending on situation. Dareus on the nose and Kyle at "end". Kiko and Bradham can move around, in and out. One or the other dropping in coverage on the TE.. I think both have that versatility.

[better days]

Keep Spikes, let Hughes go and run a hybrid 3-4 depending on situation. Dareus on the nose and Kyle at "end". Kiko and Bradham can move around, in and out. One or the other dropping in coverage on the TE.. I think both have that versatility.

I would love to keep Hughes, but not at any price.

It would have to be a deal that doesn't break the bank.

Manny Lawson played much more under Pettine than he did under Schwartz & played well in Pettine's defense.

I expect Lawson to get similar playing time with Rex that he had with Pettine.

[Cali512]

Didn't Spikes play DE?

I see it as for NT Dareus Williams and we need a 3rd

DE Mario Charles Corbin. We need a starting DE

OLB- Hughes Lawson Johnson Dean

ILB Spikes Brown Alonso Powell

If you want to get fancy put Spikes as rushing LB on passing downs like he did in college, and use Bradham and Kilo as Clay Matthews type pass rushers.

Rushing downs

Mario Dareus Kyle Lawson-Hughes
Kiko Spikes Bradham

Passing

Mario dareus Kyle
Alonso Spikes Bradham Hughes

Or

Hughes Bradham Alonso Spikes

[jamze132]

Yes, but our success in retaining high profile players after they've hit the market is just bad.

Let's give the new ownership the benefit of the doubt