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Bills LB Spikes takes next step in long rehab
Associated Press
National Football League News Wire
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Linebacker Takeo Spikes took his place behind the defensive line waiting for the snap of the ball, when suddenly there was the sound of a distinct "Pop!"
It wasn't the right Achilles' tendon which the Buffalo Bills star tore in September, an injury that forced him to miss most of last season. It was the burst of a big pink balloon of bubble gum that Spikes blew.
This was only a walkthrough for the defense during the final session of a voluntary minicamp Sunday, and Spikes - no helmet, no pads, wearing only his shorts, practice jersey and sneakers - was taking it easy for now.
But make no mistake, the Bills defense's inspirational leader and the team's most intense player promised he'll be ready to play.
How soon?
"When it means something, and that means September," Spikes said, referring to the Bills' regular season-opener at New England on Sept. 10. "Oh, yeah, to me, that's a given. I don't even worry about that part."
Spikes' very limited participation in Buffalo's three-day minicamp this weekend marked the first time he's joined his teammates in any type of on-field workout, the latest step in the player's lengthy rehabilitation process since he was hurt in Week 3 last season.
He spent most of the weekend splitting time between the weight room and watching from the sideline, taking the field only when the defense was conducting walkthroughs, when he'd take his position at outside linebacker and adjust with the offense without pushing off.
Spikes jogged on occasion, walked with only a slight limp, and spent time chatting with his teammates and coaches. It was all in an attempt to feel part of the team again and begin grasping the defense being introduced by first-year head coach Dick Jauron and his new coordinator Perry Fewell.
"It's going to be challenging to me, because I'm not able to go out there and do it with the rest of the guys in this point in time," Spikes said. "Mentally, I want to be as sharp as possible."
The timetable for a full recovery is still a long one, and the Bills are taking a cautious approach.
The plan is for Spikes to be ready for practice when training camp opens in late July and then ease him into full-contact drills.
"We're not in any hurry to push him on the field," said Jauron, who took over in January after Mike Mularkey resigned. "We want him ready for that opening game. That's our goal at this point."
Fewell was impressed to see Spikes taking part in the sessions.
"Him being out here on a voluntary basis doing the things that he wants to do to get better, that makes us a better defense," Fewell said. "He's everything as he was advertised. When he looks at me and says, 'I haven't won in a long time and I want to win,' I know that's coming from the heart."
Prior to being hurt, Spikes had only missed one game during his seven-plus NFL seasons, and that was to attend his father's funeral while he was with Cincinnati in 2001.
The Bengals' first-round pick in the 1998 draft, Spikes registered 100-plus tackles in each of his seven full seasons. Upon signing with the Bills in 2003, he played a critical role in helping the defense finish second in the NFL in his first two seasons. In 2004, his five interceptions were the most by a Bills linebacker since Darryl Talley had five in 1991.
It's no coincidence that without Spikes, the Bills struggled, finishing 29th as a defense last year, while the team stumbled to a 5-11 record.
When Spikes returns, it will be to a revamped unit, minus veteran safety Lawyer Milloy and tackle Sam Adams, who were both released in March, and restocked with several free agents and six rookies selected in last weekend's NFL draft.
"I'm frustrated. I just want to win, man, and that's what it boils down to," Spikes said, when asked about the changes. "Hopefully, we get everything together. ... I ain't getting no younger."
Bills LB Spikes takes next step in long rehab
Bills LB Spikes takes next step in long rehab
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