Bringing Back Brandon Spikes Gives Patriots Much-Needed Depth at LB
In search of veteran linebacker depth behind two rehabbing starters, the New England Patriots brought back a familiar face with a fondness for terrorizing opponents' running games.
According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Patriots have agreed to a one-year deal with run-stuffing linebacker Brandon Spikes, who spent four years in New England after the team drafted him in the second round of the 2010 draft. He left the Patriots on shaky terms following the 2013 season and signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills, but his return Monday should now give New England an insurance policy while starters Dont'a Hightower and Jerod Mayo recover from serious injuries.
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Spikes visited the Patriots earlier in the month. He also received some level of interest from the Bills and Minnesota Vikings.
His one year in Buffalo in 2014 included 10 starts and only 54 total tackles, the lowest of his career for a season in which he played at least 10 games. The Bills prepared to go in a different direction after hiring new head coach Rex Ryan.
Still only 27, Spikes figures to provide the experienced depth New England sought at linebacker this offseason. The position was riddled by injury last season, with Hightower battling a serious shoulder issue and Mayo playing in only six games after tearing up his knee.
The two likely starters are both still in the recovery phase.
Hightower, an emerging star, underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in February. The procedure and rehab carries a six-to-seven month return timetable, making it unlikely the 25-year-old participates in any of New England's offseason programs. If he somehow lands on the back end of the recovery timetable, it's possible the Patriots could be without one of their starting linebackers to start the 2014 season.
Hightower isn't alone.
Mayo tore his patellar tendon in Week 6 and missed the rest of the season. He had his surgery in October and should be at or close to 100 percent at some point in this offseason. However, patellar tendon injuries feature a difficult rehab process.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ryan Williams—who tore his patellar tendon during his rookie season in 2011—talked about the grueling recovery with Todd Archer of ESPN Dallas.
"Growing up I thought that the worst injury you could have is the ACL," Williams said. "Nah, when you tear that patellar tendon and your kneecap shifts to your thigh, that's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."
Mayo has played in only 12 games over the last two seasons. He tore his pectoral muscle in 2013 and missed the final 10 games.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Mayo and the Patriots agreed to a restructured deal, with $4.5 million guaranteed in 2015 and option years in 2016 and 2017. His injury history necessitated the new contract.
Signing Spikes provides the Patriots an insurance policy should either linebacker face a setback in rehab or suffer another injury in-season. He can also bring some pop back to New England's run defense.
While the skill is slowly drifting out of style, stopping the run as a two-down player remains Spikes' specialty. In fact, few in the game are better from the linebacker position.
Spikes played just over 500 snaps for the Bills last season, according to Pro Football Focus. He still finished as the site's ninth-best inside linebacker against the run, with 25 total stops (or a tackle constituting an offensive failure). Spikes really came on after a slow start. From Week 4, only eight inside linebackers had a better overall grade at PFF:
| J. Collins | NE | +11.9 | +23.6 |
| L. Kuechly | CAR | +8.1 | +22.9 |
| C. Borland | SF | +16.2 | +20.8 |
| D. Smith | BAL | +8.4 | +19.7 |
| D. Hightower | NE | +7.4 | +16.8 |
| M. Kendricks | PHI | +1.4 | +15.8 |
| K. Dansby | CLE | +3.8 | +14.2 |
| B. Wagner | SEA | +8.7 | +13.7 |
| B. Spikes | BUF | +8.5 | +13.0 |
A strong season against the run isn't new to Spikes. He's finished with a positive grade in the area from PFF during all five of his NFL seasons.
It wouldn't be a stretch to say Spikes is one of the league's elite run defenders.
Since he was drafted in 2010, no inside linebacker in the NFL has a higher total grade stopping the run than Spikes. His year-to-year grades feature two seasons (both coming while in New England) in which he finished first or second at the position against the run:
| 2010 | NE | +10.9 | 5th |
| 2011 | NE | +4.3 | 18th |
| 2012 | NE | +15.2 | 1st |
| 2013 | NE | +10.8 | 2nd |
| 2014 | BUF | +7.1 | 9th |
| TOTAL | - | +48.3 | 1st |
The problem for Spikes has rarely been first or second down. Rather, it's when teams line up and throw the football that he gets into trouble. The 255-pound Spikes has never been a strong player in coverage. And in the modern game of spread offenses and prolific passing numbers, his value has consequently dried up considerably.
However, the Patriots won't likely ask him to be anything close to resembling a three-down player. Instead, the majority of his snaps should come on likely run downs in the base defense. New England has superior players in Hightower and Jamie Collins to combat the passing game from the linebacker position.
Another positive for the Patriots should be the price. After remaining on the market into May, Spikes shouldn't cost New England much more than the veteran minimum. And with a cheap price comes very little overall risk.
Maybe the only question mark about the reunion is the state of the relationship between Spikes and the Patriots. The two had a somewhat ugly divorce just one year ago.
After signing with the Bills last March, Spikes was hesitant to give a glowing review of his time in New England.
"It's always great to start over and get a re-up and have a fresh start somewhere," Spikes said, via Mike Rodak of ESPN. "Somewhere you're wanted, where people love you there and they're excited about you being there."
The next month, Spikes rattled off a series of tweets against the Patriots.
However, New England likely wouldn't be bringing back Spikes without some kind of mended relationship. Time heals all, and—at this point in the offseason—the veteran linebacker is probably just happy to find work.
As long as no hard feelings remain, Spikes rejoining the Patriots appears to be a win-win.
New England needed the depth and veteran insurance at linebacker, where injuries have been—and may still be—a serious hurdle. Spikes needed the job, and his abilities as an elite run-stopper should still have value for a defense that will use him accordingly.
Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report.
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