Two Bills Drive

‘Spikes will be reunited with his old coach and defensive coordinator, Dick LeBeau, who was introduced Monday as Bills assistant head coach. “That’s my man,” Spikes said.’

‘Calling it “the beginning of a new day in the Bengal organization and in the shaping of the team under my direction,” head coach Marvin Lewis announced the club won’t match Spikes’ six-year, $32 million contract with Buffalo, allowing him to join the Buffalo Bills.’

New assistant head coach Dick LeBeau began his Bills coaching career on Monday. He will primarily be involved in better implementing the zone-blitzing schemes into Buffalo’s defense, particularly the pass coverages that help make zone blitzing so effective.

‘Also pretty active are the Buffalo Bills, who officially added linebacker Takeo Spikes to what was one of the NFL’s worst defenses last season.’

‘“I didn’t even know he was coming,” LeBeau said of Spikes. “But I’ll tell you one thing, you’ve got a pretty good football player in that young man.”’

“It works out for both parties,” said cornerback Artrell Hawkins. “It’s only fair after Takeo has said he doesn’t want to be here to let him try to make a name for himself somewhere else. It was a pretty fair deal because we get three really good players in spots we need.

I called Price Friday afternoon to ask him whether he is confident he can be Michael Vick’s franchise receiver in Atlanta, despite the fact a lot of people who watch the game think Price will struggle in that role. Price is 26, and at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, he’ll take some punishment from some very good defenses in Tampa Bay, Carolina and New Orleans in the AFC South. "It’s interesting," he said of the Moulds’ comparison. "I weighed that in my decision. I think Moulds and me complemented each other. Given the opportunity to be a No. 1, I knew I could do it, and I wanted to do it. I know everyone thinks I’m a No. 2, but that’s not what I think. The thing I don’t think people realize is what happened to us in coverage last year. After we got off to such a great start in Buffalo with Drew [Bledsoe], teams started playing us Cover Two Man — a corner on us all the time, usually with the safety over the top. So I feel like I got doubled almost every play for the last 10, 12 games of the season. Ask the coaching staff in Buffalo. They’ll tell you we saw pretty much the same coverage."

"Basically I really wanted to coach but once you make a commitment to an employer, it's always been my goal to think that he got a good deal in the agreement and I wanted to make sure that I could hold up my end. I want to go into a position with an earnest work ethic to try to accomplish and help anybody who was interested in my services. Coach (Williams) expressed that interest and I was certainly interested in his football team and his organization. It was mostly just getting into a situation where I felt positive and knew this is where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. That's why I'm here."

"It's been awful exciting here in a short free agency period. I think that we will continue to work all the way up to training camp, that's when the off-season ends. It's been exciting to see us hit the ground running. We had a plan; we worked hard to develop in January and February. It's nice to see that we've made an impact early."

The Cincinnati Bengals have officially declined to match the Buffalo Bills' offer sheet to Takeo Spikes. "We're very excited," said Gregg Williams. "He's a tremendous addition to our team in the respect of ability at that position." Spikes is expected to be in Buffalo later this to week to be introduced as the newest member of the Bills.

Drew Bledsoe for Peerless Price.

Would YOU make that swap?

I don't care if it's bubble-gum cards, fantasy football, or real live players. Anytime you can deal Peerless Price and get Drew Bledsoe, it's a darn good trade. And that's exactly what the Buffalo Bills did on Friday when they shipped Price's signing rights to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a first-round draft slot this April.

‘Spikes had been Cincinnati’s leading tackler four of the last five years but after five losing seasons he had asked the team not to stand in the way of move.’

‘Spikes joins a Buffalo defense that ranked 27th of 32 teams in points allowed last season. The Bills, who had an 8-8 record in 2002, were 28th against the run and forced a league-low 19 turnovers.’

‘LeBeau played cornerback with the Detroit Lions from 1959-72 and was voted to three Pro Bowls. He also was an assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.’

‘"Takeo has been a good player for the Bengals and in the community, and I wish him well with his career in Buffalo," Lewis said. "Today is the beginning of a new day in the Bengal organization and in the shaping of the football team under my direction."’