Best Bills Linebacker Ever?

[EDS]

What do you guys think? My own thoughts – and I should qualify that I can only go back as a Bills fan to Shane Conlon/Cornelius Bennett’s rookie year – is that the pre-injury Saw Cowart was the best Bills linebacker I have seen. Cowart was a sideline to sideline middle linebacker who could do it all from rushing the passer to coverage when needed. His absence/injury really set the defense back a few years. My top 8:

1. Sam Cowart
2. Takeo Spikes
3. Bryce Paup
4. Cornelius Bennett
5. Daryl Talley
6. Chris Spielman
7. London Fletcher
8. Shane Conlon

[Mudflap1]

Put Mike Stratton on that list somewhere.

Jon

[The_Philster]

No Mike Stratton or Jim Haslett?

No way would I have Biscuit that high up. He had the talent to be the best but took too many plays off.
Paup was a one-year wonder....production slipped off his second year and halfway through the season, when we switched to a 4-3 due to Spielman and Covington going down in the same week, he virtually disappeared

[Iehoshua]

1. Eddie Robinson.

:jk:

[The_Philster]

1. Eddie Robinson.

:jk:

NEGGED

[EDS]

No Mike Stratton or Jim Haslett?

No way would I have Biscuit that high up. He had the talent to be the best but took too many plays off.
Paup was a one-year wonder....production slipped off his second year and halfway through the season, when we switched to a 4-3 due to Spielman and Covington going down in the same week, he virtually disappeared

Mike Stratton and Jim Haslett were before my time so it is hard for me to rank them or any pre mid-1980 Bills. so by no means is my list exhaustive.

Injuries and such are another issue. Cowart was only getting started when he got injured, and Spielman's career was cut short. Paup had two good seasons with the Bills - with that one monster year that tipped the balance.

[Captain gameboy]

Takeo
Talley
Mike Stratton

[The King]

TKO hands down. He was the best LB in the league this year.

[capitolneal]

Talley
shane nelson (short career) but damn good
and I believe covington would have been fantastic (also injured) RIP
and of course TKO

[Mudflap1]

Mike Tracy is up there too.

Jon

[Historian]

Daryl Talley
Jim Cheyunski
Harry Jacobs

[Mudflap1]

I was just about to post Harry Jacobs, good call.

Jon

[Dr. Lecter]

Cowart and one-year Paup over Talley????????

Yeesh. No further comment there. How do you rank them like that?

[TigerJ]

I would remove Sam Cowart, Bryce Paup, and Chris Spielman form the list because they really weren't in a Bills uniform long enough for me to give that kind of acolade. I would add, like others have, Harry Jacobs, Mike Stratton and Jim Haslett. It think the two on the list that are current Bills are right up at the top

1. Takeo Spikes
2. London Fletcher
3. Mike Stratton
4. Cornelius Bennett
5. Daryl Talley
6. Harry Jacobs
7. Jim Haslett
8. Shane Conlan

[CajunBillsBacker]

Spikes
Talley
Stratton
Haslett
Fletcher
Bennett
Conlan
Cowart

[PUCKER]

My Top 5:

TKO
Talley
Bennett
Paup
Fletcher

[Demon]

1. Takeo Spikes
2. London Fletcher
3. Mike Stratton
4. Cornelius Bennett
5. Daryl Talley
6. Harry Jacobs
7. Jim Haslett
8. Shane Conlan

And let me guess, Jeff Posey #9? lol

How in the world does Fletch get higher then Talley? Talley was a beast and a play maker, let us to the SB's.... Fletch has played good i don't disagree, he would be on my list, but above Talley? Fletch makes way too many penalties and some of those penalties might have cost us a playoff spot this season while Talley made plays to get us to the big show. Talley IMO would be #1, while Bennett would be still higher then Fletcher, but Fletch would be on my list....

[buffalofan19]

What do you guys think? My own thoughts – and I should qualify that I can only go back as a Bills fan to Shane Conlon/Cornelius Bennett’s rookie year – is that the pre-injury Saw Cowart was the best Bills linebacker I have seen. Cowart was a sideline to sideline middle linebacker who could do it all from rushing the passer to coverage when needed. His absence/injury really set the defense back a few years. My top 8:

1. Sam Cowart
2. Takeo Spikes
3. Bryce Paup
4. Cornelius Bennett
5. Daryl Talley
6. Chris Spielman
7. London Fletcher
8. Shane Conlon
Wasn't Bryce Paup a DE?

I'd say that Bennett or Talley were the best Linebackers I've seen (since '92)

[The_Philster]

Wasn't Bryce Paup a DE?SOLB with us

[rtconner]

I just want to say that Fletcher is the most underrated player on this team. If I have to choose between having London or Takeo on any given day, I'd choose London without hesitation.

[Earthquake Enyart]

I just want to say that Fletcher is the most underrated player on this team. If I have to choose between having London or Takeo on any given day, I'd choose London without hesitation.
This is just wrong. Fletcher barely ranks above Cheyunski.

Shane Nelson belongs in the top 5 of any list.

[YardRat]

Talley, Stratton, Nelson, Cheyunski, TKO.

Someone close to the Bills once told me Haslett would be lost on the field if it weren't for Nelson playing next to him.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Talley, Stratton, Nelson, Cheyunski, TKO.

Someone close to the Bills once told me Haslett would be lost on the field if it weren't for Nelson playing next to him.
Switch Bennett in for Cheyunski and I think you may have it.

Cheyunski was terrible.

[The King]

I just want to say that Fletcher is the most underrated player on this team. If I have to choose between having London or Takeo on any given day, I'd choose London without hesitation.

London is heavily under-rated and is a huge part of our D. But he isnt TKO the best Weakside LB in the game.

[SABURZFAN]

nobody mentioned john skorupan????

[eyedog]

From 1970 on, in no order:

Bennett, Cowart, Talley, Nelson, Haslett, Spikes.

Cowart and Nelson had injury problems but while they were playing they were both as good as anyone.

[carybillsfan]

What Happend to Spielman!! He lead the team in tackles the years he was here, albeit short, but throughout his career nobody played LB like he did in a Bills uniform. I mean come on the guy played 12 weeks with a broken neck...he wasn't like Sam the Coward who twisted his knee every year and ended up on IR.

My Top 5:
Bennett, Talley, Haslett, Spielman, Spikes

[NC-BILLS44]

Talley, Speilman, Spikes, Fletcher, Bennett, Cowart, Nelson

[eyedog]

I agree Speilman too. I somehow forgot him. For his time here he was as good a run stopper as any Bill.

[THATHURMANATOR]

I would say Talley but I am sure there are some old time backers that were sweet too.

[TedMock]

Someone close to the Bills once told me Haslett would be lost on the field if it weren't for Nelson playing next to him.

Maybe he should offer Nelson a job in New Orleans.


:funny:

[DaBillzAhDaShiznit]

WHAT??? No Carlton Bailey, Ray Bentley, Marlo Perry? No Mark Maddux , John Holocek? No Gabe Northern, Marvcus Patton? No Brandon Spoon?

What the hell kinda list is this....

OH wait.....you said BEST EVER...


I don't think Spikes belongs yet....only two years....if he stays in Buffalo for several more years and continues a great career...yes he is near the top if not at the top of the list.

Same with Fletch for now....maybe in a couple years...

For me....the two guys who could change a game and were HUGE for this team when push came to shove were Talley and Conlan.

I'll give the edge between those two to Talley because he was more athletic.

I never saw the older guys play so my apologies to vintage folks.

[BAM]

TKO will be the best LB to ever put on a Bills jersey by the time he retires (as a Bill :pray: )

[Deliriousedge]

Hey Guys, I work for Takeo's sports agent and we told Takeo about this list. He really appreciates all of you guys already speaking of him as one of the top Bills LB ever, even though he's only been with the Bills for 2 seasons. Shame on all of you guys that don't think he deserves to be up there!! j/k!

Takeo also wanted me to tell you guys that he feels that Buffalo fans are the best fans in the NFL!

[juice]

Spikes is a "Big Play Guy" with pure LB instincts.. he has the ability to make plays in both Pass and Run Defense.

[Dantheman1280]

1. Talley
2. Biscuit
3.Fletcher
4.TKO

[EDS]

You guys don't think Cowart is in the top 5? I realize his Bills career was cut short by injury but when he played he was the best I saw, with TKO a close second. Obviously, after the injuries Cowart was not the same player and TD did the smart thing and sign Fletcher for half the money.

[Dr. Lecter]

Part of being a great player is durability and longevity. I loved Cowart when he was here, but he really only had 2-3 seasons of high productivity.

1. Talley (Still underrated, the heart and soul of the Super Bowl teams)
2. Bennett (Big Plays won many games, could be inconsistent)
3. Spikes (A bit hesitant, only here for 2 years)
4. Nelson (injuries cut his career short)
5. Fletcher (tackling machine)
6. Cowart (Injuries again)
7. Haslett (tough physical player)
8. Conlan (Run stopper, could not cover my grandmother on a pass route)
9. Speilman (Here for a short time, could have been higher)
10. Paup (One great pass rushing season)

[EDS]

Your are right about the longevity issue if the question is best Bills linebacker of all time. Hopefully TKO keeps up his current level of play - in which case he will rise to the top of the list.