Bring Back Spikes--edit signed with ne***

[Screwball]

I have a strong feeling that Spikes will be back next year. He was a huge contributor as a leader on the defensive squad last year. It's hard to measure what he brought to the team, but if I had to put my money down he will be a Bill next year.

[ALF]

He could have signed anywhere but must be waiting for the May 12 deadline for the Bills to avoid losing a comp pick next season.

[CountryCletus]

A comp pick??? If they want him and they are holding off to possibly get a comp pick, I think that's foolish.... I doubt they get a comp pick- if anything, it'll be a 7th...

[Storm Front]

We do not need this knucklehead thug.

[Not at the table Karlos]

I'm beginning to think that the Bills know there are only 4-5 total roster spots on this team. If they don't select an LB in rounds 2-3 they sign Spikes. Same thing with a Safety. If they don't draft one in the first two picks, guys that will surely make the team, they sign the guy they want for the veteran minimum in Spikes and Landry.

this is how I feel as well.

We do not need this knucklehead thug.

racist much?

[Chuck Wagon]

Spikes could sign today with no effect. The only way he effects us is if a different team signs him before May and he becomes a loss

 

 

Blows my mind people don't understand this. They understand enough to know that guys we lose = comp pick but they don't know guys we resign doesn't affect anything.

 

 

 

Whaley is waiting for his price to go down to that of a part time player. Spikes thinks he should be compensated as a full time starting Mike. Teams are in a holding mode until after the draft to spend any more significant cap space. It has absolutely nothing to do with our comp pick formula.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Chuck Wagon

[plenzmd1]

Blows my mind people don't understand this. They understand enough to know that guys we lose = comp pick but they don't know guys we resign doesn't affect anything.

 

 

 

Whaley is waiting for his price to go down to that of a part time player. Spikes thinks he should be compensated as a full time starting Mike. Teams are in a holding mode until after the draft to spend any more significant cap space. It has absolutely nothing to do with our comp pick formula.

It is amazing how one story about Baltimore not signing guys till after that date becomes all discombobulated and we get the effect you mentioned.

I would think the opportunities and offers for Spikes will increase after the draft and the 12th, and he will drive a much better deal after that date than before.

 

As an aside....i am really excited about the " ground and pound" when i guy like this is not coveted...what defense in the league is going to be designed, both schematically and player wise, to predominately stop the run?

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

Wait? Brandon Spikes might not return? That's INsane!

[C.Biscuit97]

He could have signed anywhere but must be waiting for the May 12 deadline for the Bills to avoid losing a comp pick next season.

Has anyone heard about any other interest for Spikes on the market? Because I haven't.

 

If this was 20 years ago, he'd have a bigger market. But he is a limited player. Almost like a DH in baseball.

this is how I feel as well.

racist much?

I can pickup racist code pretty easy but thug here IMO could as easily be able Incognito. Spikes isn't a thug but he has done some knucklehead things in the past.

 

And he definitely was a huge cheap shot artist on NE. I hated the guy there because he took dirty shots at our guys.

[Not at the table Karlos]

Has anyone heard about any other interest for Spikes on the market? Because I haven't.

 

If this was 20 years ago, he'd have a bigger market. But he is a limited player. Almost like a DH in baseball.

 

I can pickup racist code pretty easy but thug here IMO could as easily be able Incognito. Spikes isn't a thug but he has done some knucklehead things in the past.

 

And he definitely was a huge cheap shot artist on NE. I hated the guy there because he took dirty shots at our guys.

minny talked to him but asking price was high. Forgot about the cheap shots in NE. So fair enough

[C.Biscuit97]

minny talked to him but asking price was high. Forgot about the cheap shots in NE. So fair enough

Didn't know that. And that's the problem with Spikes. He and his agent value himself more than the league does. If he lowers his price (and get why he doesn't), we probably would re-sign him.

[Chuck Wagon]

It is amazing how one story about Baltimore not signing guys till after that date becomes all discombobulated and we get the effect you mentioned.

I would think the opportunities and offers for Spikes will increase after the draft and the 12th, and he will drive a much better deal after that date than before.

 

As an aside....i am really excited about the " ground and pound" when i guy like this is not coveted...what defense in the league is going to be designed, both schematically and player wise, to predominately stop the run?

 

 

It feels good to be building a team that seems designed for WNY after years of watching Coy Wires and Roscoe Parrishes run around and get punched in the mouth. Both New England and Seattle's offenses are rooted in the "ground and pound" (Denver and San Fran's are as well), Seattle complements their ground and pound with the zone read plays from Wilson and frequent deep shots, New England complements theirs with quick plays to get Edelman/Vereen/Amendola type guys in space and Gronk in the seam. Given our personnel, if we play EJ or Taylor at QB we are set up well to use both elements from the zone read game and getting Sammy/Percy out in space, with Clay and Woods stretching the field vertically.

 

The Indy / Green Bay style spread offenses look cool on video games and sportscenter, but each of them has straight up gotten punched in the face by more physical teams with no ability to answer each of the last two postseasons. Chan's offense scored points, but we could not control the game to keep our defense fresh and we couldn't close out games. I do worry we might be one big back short (unless Bryce Brown changes his game), I appreciate all Fred has done for us, but with what we want to do it seems his spot should be going to a true 230 lbs bruiser (I don't think Dixon has the second gear/foot work to really fill that role but he's very valuable on special teams).

[BuffaloHokie13]

 

 

It feels good to be building a team that seems designed for WNY after years of watching Coy Wires and Roscoe Parrishes run around and get punched in the mouth. Both New England and Seattle's offenses are rooted in the "ground and pound" (Denver and San Fran's are as well), Seattle complements their ground and pound with the zone read plays from Wilson and frequent deep shots, New England complements theirs with quick plays to get Edelman/Vereen/Amendola type guys in space and Gronk in the seam. Given our personnel, if we play EJ or Taylor at QB we are set up well to use both elements from the zone read game and getting Sammy/Percy out in space, with Clay and Woods stretching the field vertically.

 

The Indy / Green Bay style spread offenses look cool on video games and sportscenter, but each of them has straight up gotten punched in the face by more physical teams with no ability to answer each of the last two postseasons. Chan's offense scored points, but we could not control the game to keep our defense fresh and we couldn't close out games. I do worry we might be one big back short (unless Bryce Brown changes his game), I appreciate all Fred has done for us, but with what we want to do it seems his spot should be going to a true 230 lbs bruiser (I don't think Dixon has the second gear/foot work to really fill that role but he's very valuable on special teams).

I don't know that Woods will be stretching the field, Clay maybe on PA.

[KingRex]

Didn't know that. And that's the problem with Spikes. He and his agent value himself more than the league does. If he lowers his price (and get why he doesn't), we probably would re-sign him.

What evidence (and by this I mean public statements by Spikes or his agent of what level of compensation he expects/hopes for and/or a statement by the Bills r any other team about what he can expect/gets.

 

I have seen none (and doubt anyone is negotiating in public).

 

I think all we know is that no deal btw. Spikes and a team has been made yet and that Spikes has publicly stated his desire to comeback.

 

All we know for likely is not that Spikes over-values himself, but that Spikes wants to make the maximum dollars he can make. (Does anyone have a problem with this?)

 

Further, he has publicly stated he wants that max offer to come from the Bills.

 

I not only have no problem with this but I am glad to hear this.

 

From the Bills perspective, I would GUESS they want the best player they can get at the least expensive price

 

(well duh!).

 

Spikes is an NFL vet who knows past Bills systems. He has strengths as a run stuffer but must be helped out by the scheme or talent to make him the best defender against the pass.

 

If the Bills have a better alternative at LB, then great take it.

 

However, it is easy to imagine they will not have a more capable talent than this vet proven run stuffer when we had t give up young LB talent in Alonso to get an A level offensive threat in McCoy.

 

I feel great about where we are and will feel fine even if we have to "settle" for this vet with not full talents but demonstrated run stuffer chops.

[C.Biscuit97]

What evidence (and by this I mean public statements by Spikes or his agent of what level of compensation he expects/hopes for and/or a statement by the Bills r any other team about what he can expect/gets.

 

I have seen none (and doubt anyone is negotiating in public).

 

I think all we know is that no deal btw. Spikes and a team has been made yet and that Spikes has publicly stated his desire to comeback.

 

All we know for likely is not that Spikes over-values himself, but that Spikes wants to make the maximum dollars he can make. (Does anyone have a problem with this?)

 

Further, he has publicly stated he wants that max offer to come from the Bills.

 

I not only have no problem with this but I am glad to hear this.

 

From the Bills perspective, I would GUESS they want the best player they can get at the least expensive price

 

(well duh!).

 

Spikes is an NFL vet who knows past Bills systems. He has strengths as a run stuffer but must be helped out by the scheme or talent to make him the best defender against the pass.

 

If the Bills have a better alternative at LB, then great take it.

 

However, it is easy to imagine they will not have a more capable talent than this vet proven run stuffer when we had t give up young LB talent in Alonso to get an A level offensive threat in McCoy.

 

I feel great about where we are and will feel fine even if we have to "settle" for this vet with not full talents but demonstrated run stuffer chops.

http://www.rotowire.com/football/player.htm?id=6608

 

His snap count has gone down every year. Last year was the lowest.

 

I think Spikes brings an attitude to the defense and leadership. Who knows what is going on behind the scenes. But there is a reason teams aren't beating down his door. If Spikes was Chandler Jones, they don't bench him for a playoff game.

 

If they bring Spikes back for a reasonable price, great. But he is a very replacable player in today's NFL.

[Kelly the Dog]

http://www.rotowire.com/football/player.htm?id=6608

 

His snap count has gone down every year. Last year was the lowest.

 

I think Spikes brings an attitude to the defense and leadership. Who knows what is going on behind the scenes. But there is a reason teams aren't beating down his door. If Spikes was Chandler Jones, they don't bench him for a playoff game.

 

If they bring Spikes back for a reasonable price, great. But he is a very replacable player in today's NFL.

 

He's also one of if not the best overall run stuffer in the league. He got low snap counts last year because he would be on the field and for his job and teams would throw. Not to mention at the end of the year we played against Brady, manning, Rodgers, etc, teams who throw all the time. Spikes was great last year. He wasn't even abused much on pass plays. He and his agent overvalued him simply because they wanted him to be paid as an every down player when the Bills and other teams apparently looked at him as just an early down player, so he'd get only half the snaps. That's why he wasn't getting offers. And if he isn't going to get full time pay or full time play, he really wants to come back to the Bills.

[C.Biscuit97]

He's also one of if not the best overall run stuffer in the league. He got low snap counts last year because he would be on the field and for his job and teams would throw. Not to mention at the end of the year we played against Brady, manning, Rodgers, etc, teams who throw all the time. Spikes was great last year. He wasn't even abused much on pass plays. He and his agent overvalued him simply because they wanted him to be paid as an every down player when the Bills and other teams apparently looked at him as just an early down player, so he'd get only half the snaps. That's why he wasn't getting offers. And if he isn't going to get full time pay or full time play, he really wants to come back to the Bills.

That's fair. His coverage skills weren't abused because we have the best d line in the NFL. On almost every other team, he would be a huge liability.

[Kelly the Dog]

That's fair. His coverage skills weren't abused because we have the best d line in the NFL. On almost every other team, he would be a huge liability.

I'm not sure about that. Watching the games it's not like teams ran every play on first down. He looked pretty quick for the most part. When guys caught short passes against him he was right on them. He got back in coverage decently. Not super fast but not slow either when I was watching. Please tell me all the or really any plays that he was terrible in coverage on, outside of one In preseason that wasn't even that bad. I'm sure there were some.

 

The point is there were not a lot. It wasn't clear he was a liability in pass coverage and teams did not abuse the Bills by targeting Spikes and then completing passes against his man, which is what they do: Exploit weaknesses. I want Spikes back a lot. If we don't draft an LB in 2-3 I think he is back soon thereafter.

[NoSaint]

It is amazing how one story about Baltimore not signing guys till after that date becomes all discombobulated and we get the effect you mentioned.

I would think the opportunities and offers for Spikes will increase after the draft and the 12th, and he will drive a much better deal after that date than before.

 

As an aside....i am really excited about the " ground and pound" when i guy like this is not coveted...what defense in the league is going to be designed, both schematically and player wise, to predominately stop the run?

 

 

seems our sweet spot would be post draft but pre-comp cutoff. We would be set in our roster, but other teams would still be facing potential consequence (not all, but some) if they signed a qualifying guy.

 

 

Blows my mind people don't understand this. They understand enough to know that guys we lose = comp pick but they don't know guys we resign doesn't affect anything.

 

 

ive posted it probably 25 times myself, and plenty of others have done similar and for some reason its still not accepted for some reason. its not even like its terribly complicated.

[KingRex]

That's fair. His coverage skills weren't abused because we have the best d line in the NFL. On almost every other team, he would be a huge liability.

Exactly. The reality of this team is that every single member of their DL was resigned. The big difference between this D and last year's is that our base package is a 3-4 rather than a 4-3.

 

Given we are increasing our base LB need by 1 AND we have traded away a young up and coming LB , simply dismissing Spikes does not seem like the smartest football move.

 

If we can get something better for less expense GREAT. However, if we can't and resign him, GREAT also. I simply see no reason for a Bills fan to either dismiss a player who has human llmitations but performed well when asked last year and publicly says he wants to stay, why hate on him.