Bills sign Brandon Spikes to reported 1-year deal
A training camp injury to second-round pick Reggie Ragland led to the Buffalo Bills turning to a familiar face on the free-agent market.
Buffalo has signed former linebacker Brandon Spikes after hosting the veteran for a recent workout, the team announced Sunday.
Officially terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, but Spikes is re-joining the Bills on a one-year deal, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
News of Spikes' agreement was followed up by another move to address the suddenly thin position, as agent Jordan Woy also announced a deal for veteran David Hawthorne to land in Buffalo.
Details on Ragland's status after a knee injury suffered this week have not yet been made clear, but the addition of a pair of inside linebackers suggests that Bills have deemed it necessary to at least add some insurance.
Spikes, who sat out all of 2015 after being charged in connection with an offseason hit-and-run incident, provides Rex Ryan's defense with a reliable early-down presence on the interior.
The 28-year-old racked up 54 tackles and one sack for Buffalo's fourth-ranked defense in 2014. He started 39 games for the New England Patriots over four seasons after joining the club as a second-round pick in the 2010 draft.
The Bills released defensive back Javier Arenas and Gary Chambers to create space for Spikes and Hawthorne. Linebacker Kevin Reddick was also waived/injured with a knee issue, and the free-agent addition of tight end Jimmay Mundine fills that open roster spot.