envirojeff Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 I know I'll most likely draw HUGE flaming for even thinking it, but I think he's about run his course. He looks very slow and that makes it hard to watch him play. I hope that before the seasons over he can be the same player he was last year, but I wouldn't bet on it. When you factor in his age and his health, I don't know how you can keep him past this season? I HOPE I'M WRONG!!! Jeff
Webster Guy Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Well, you would expect his play to improve, but doesn't it take a full year for his injury to heal? If he shows no improvement from his present level, then I agree with you.
The Big Cat Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 I know I'll most likely draw HUGE flaming for even thinking it, but I think he's about run his course. He looks very slow and that makes it hard to watch him play. I hope that before the seasons over he can be the same player he was last year, but I wouldn't bet on it. When you factor in his age and his health, I don't know how you can keep him past this season? I HOPE I'M WRONG!!! Jeff 849644[/snapback] give him one more year. Few players would be an enormous step up, and for the time being he's still dependable, smart and a good leader. Other positions deserve upgrading before his.
MartyBall4Buffalo Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 If hes still playing at his current level next season fine, right now Id say no
MattF2000 Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 I think we should also keep in mind that on top of returning from an injury, didn't Takeo change positions this year? I believe he went from the weak side to the strong side. Doesn't that usually mean there's more traffic on that side? I definitely agree we don't see as much from Spikes. But I think we see more from him frmo the strong side than we ever did from Posey. I also think this cover 2 defense we run gives Spikes way less opportunity to make big plays. Under Jerry Gray we were always running different zone blitzes which seemed to give Spikes more opportunity to wreak havoc.. Just my thoughts but I think there's other positions we can use an upgrade at first.
R. Rich Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 give him one more year. Few players would be an enormous step up, and for the time being he's still dependable, smart and a good leader. Other positions deserve upgrading before his. 849649[/snapback] Give and take.... we give him one more year to prove he can return from the injury, and we take back some of the cap room TKO's contract is currently taking up, make him earn it on the field. In other words, keep him around, but look to restructure his contract.
ganesh Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 I know I'll most likely draw HUGE flaming for even thinking it, but I think he's about run his course. He looks very slow and that makes it hard to watch him play. I hope that before the seasons over he can be the same player he was last year, but I wouldn't bet on it. When you factor in his age and his health, I don't know how you can keep him past this season? I HOPE I'M WRONG!!! Jeff 849644[/snapback] No....He needs a full off season and training camp before being judged.
Typical TBD Guy Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Let's just use some common sense here. TKO has 1 year left on his 5-year contract. Cutting him this offseason would provide very minimal savings, and I seriously doubt we'll find a trade partner. Given TKO's former abilities and Julian Peterson's recovery from the same injury, it's worth it to let the guy play out his contract and give him an extra year to heal and to get more experience as a Sammy cover-2 LB. If he still sucks by next December, we then simply don't re-sign him. I wouldn't be opposed to drafting a day 1 LB as his - or Fletcher's - potential replacement, but we have enough roster holes as it is to fill in 1 offseason... let's not wrecklessly create more.
MadBuffaloDisease Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Let's just use some common sense here. TKO has 1 year left on his 5-year contract. Cutting him this offseason would provide very minimal savings, and I seriously doubt we'll find a trade partner. Just an FYI, Spikes is signed through the end of 2008 and is scheduled to make $4.5M next year and $5M in 2008, with $1.8M in amortized bonus each year.
5 Wide Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Julian Peterson looks pretty good this year. Give Spikes one more season, and a full offseason of strength training, not physical therapy and you'll see a difference. You can't do the same types of strength and conditioning during the season that you can do in the postseason. Right now, guys typically do weight room, mend their bumps and bruises, film work and gameplanning throughout the week. Let the guy go one on one with a trainer all summer, work on getting that leg beefed up again and get his explosion back. He'll be better for it in '07.
Bill from NYC Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Just an FYI, Spikes is signed through the end of 2008 and is scheduled to make $4.5M next year and $5M in 2008, with $1.8M in amortized bonus each year. 849729[/snapback] Thanks for that info. This is a great example of a contract that seemed huge when it was signed, but very reasonable now. Imagine what a healthy TKO could sign for now? It also indicates to me that we would save a grand total of 2.7 million in 07 cap space by cutting him. I used 6.3 million (salary & 1.8 bonus) minus 3.6 million (accelerated bonus). Is that correct? The Bills are projected to have mega cap room in 07. Unless doctors say he is shot, my thinking is that it would be wise to keep him around and see what he shows in the 07 camp, especially when cap room is not an issue.
pBills Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Two things... He's still working his way back. So I'll give him a little more time. Secondly, I may be wrong but is he playing at a different position than last year?
fakeeyed Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 we've got bigger problems than a slower tko. he's definitely back next year, but if his game doesnt improve then we'll probably have to say goodbye.
Rico Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Just an FYI, Spikes is signed through the end of 2008 and is scheduled to make $4.5M next year and $5M in 2008, with $1.8M in amortized bonus each year. 849729[/snapback] Like Mr. R. Rich said, keep him around, but these $$$ will have to be re-worked.I think $2 - 2.5M per year is fair.
tennesseeboy Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 I wouldn't flame you, as TKO is still on the mend and is somewhat less than impressive. Depending on salary and all, I think keeping him is a good idea. He's got a couple of good year's in the tank after he's finally healed. It might be good to be on the lookout for a replacement in the draft (after we take care of the offensive line.)
Alaska Darin Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Spikes value in the locker room far exceeds his cap number. Mark that down.
MadBuffaloDisease Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Thanks for that info. This is a great example of a contract that seemed huge when it was signed, but very reasonable now. Imagine what a healthy TKO could sign for now? It also indicates to me that we would save a grand total of 2.7 million in 07 cap space by cutting him. I used 6.3 million (salary & 1.8 bonus) minus 3.6 million (accelerated bonus). Is that correct? Not exactly. The cap savings would be salary minus amortized bonus, which is $4.5M-$3.6M (roughly). But there is a provision in the new CBA where a team can release a player prior to June 1st and spread his bonus out over 2 seasons. So the Bills could save $2.7M. However given they will be $30M or so under the cap, they might want to just eat it all next year. That is IF they release him.
mike1011 Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 Spikes value in the locker room far exceeds his cap number. Mark that down. 849807[/snapback] You mean a guy with a big trap, nothing to back it up with anymore, and a feeling that he deserves a starting role while playing like a back-up? That sounds more demoralizing that revitalizing. Can you explain what you think he would provide to the team if he was a starter and played poorly?
JasoninMT Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 What bugs the crap out of me is our run defense... how many runs up the gut for 10+ are we giving up? Where are the LBs? is it scheme? We cannot give up the kind of running yards we do and win consistently... yeah, we were able to stop them a few times yesterday, but there were still way too many big plays on runs and short passes...
RuntheDamnBall Posted November 27, 2006 Posted November 27, 2006 You mean a guy with a big trap, nothing to back it up with anymore, and a feeling that he deserves a starting role while playing like a back-up? That sounds more demoralizing that revitalizing. Can you explain what you think he would provide to the team if he was a starter and played poorly? 849900[/snapback] Read the papers today and you'll see what Spikes meant to his team in its win against the Jags. It wasn't on the stat sheet. These guys are playing as a team finally and Takeo is part of that, and his energy is infectious. I am all for drafting another LB for depth and potential promotion (and he can have Haggan's job on day one, whoever it is). Someone else used a better analogy in another thread, but it'd be dumb to not see if he can come back after the full year-plus of work that needs to be done after this kind of injury. The way Julian Peterson in Seattle is playing right now has to give you some hope, especially since TKO was an even better player pre-injury.
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