Two Bills Drive

Linebacker Takeo Spikes is in Buffalo today visiting with President and General Manager Tom Donahoe and coach Gregg Williams. Spikes, the 13th overall pick in the 1998 draft out of Auburn, has averaged 113 tackles a season for the Bengals. Cincinnati has the right to match any offer made to Spikes, having placed their transition tag on the fifth-year pro back on February 11.

‘To try to discourage Cincinnati from matching an offer, the Bills probably would have to give him a large base salary for 2003, in addition to a big signing bonus.’

‘The Bills are approximately $7 million under the cap, leaving plenty of room to structure deals for Spikes and Adams for 2003. Things would be tight to make other moves, however, and trading wide receiver Peerless Price — Buffalo’s franchise player — remains the easiest way to clear $5.01 million in room.’

‘Buffalo president and general manager Tom Donahoe was traveling Wednesday and unavailable for comment, a Bills spokesman said. Reports out of Buffalo have said the Bills were preparing an offer sheet for Spikes.’

‘Former Seahawk Sam Adams, a 6-foot-3 defensive tackle listed at 330 pounds, lives in the Seattle area and wouldn’t mind a return to the Seahawks. Adams, who played with the Oakland Raiders last season, would prefer to bypass visits to other teams – though he will speak with the Buffalo Bills today – and agree to terms if the money is right.’

‘Kicker Rian Lindell, a restricted free agent, completed his visit with the Buffalo Bills yesterday. His agent, Paul Sheehy, expects to get offers from the Bills and New York Jets in the next day or two. By tendering Lindell a $605,000 offer last week, the Seahawks can match any offer sheet he signs.’

‘The Bengals are thinking linebackers as they try to grapple with the Takeo Spikes question: They want their leading tackler back, but it is believed he was on a plane to Buffalo Wednesday to visit the Bills in what may be a precursor to an offer sheet in the next few days.’

‘Robinson pointed out at the end of games, many teams were successful at running on the Buffalo defense, and so serious pass-rushing efforts never materialized. He used the Kansas City loss and the two New England losses as prime examples.’

"It's really nice here. The facility is great; coaches and the people are really nice as well. I like the fieldhouse, it's always good to be able to come in out of the cold and get your workout in. I like the ability to be inside doing sprints. It's very convenient."

‘Lindell is a restricted free agent, who can entertain offers from other teams after the Seahawks retained his rights by tendering him a $605,000 contract. Seattle holds the right to match any offer, but would receive no compensation should Lindell sign with another team.’

During Chuck Knox’s first season, the Bills went 5-11. Granted, it was a losing record, but on the bright side, seven of the 11 losses were by seven points or less. Buffalo was 7-9 in ’79. This time, five of the nine losses were by seven or fewer points. The club seemed to be heading in the right direction.

To give you a sense of what that's like, let's take a look at some of the tasks stacked on Tom Donahoe's desk. Keep in mind that this doesn't include any of the marketing, public relations or business-end responsibilities that come with being the president and general manager of an NFL club.

This is free agency, pure and simple. (Actually, simple is not at all the right word…)

Today the Bills are entertaining Seahawks kicker Rian Lindell, a restricted free agent. Lindell was successful on 23 of 29 field-goal tries (79.3 percent) for Seattle last season. The former undrafted free agent by the Cowboys in 2000 has also handled kickoffs for the Seahawks the past three seasons.

‘ Free agent Sam Adams of the Oakland Raiders will visit the Buffalo Bills here Thursday.’

‘Buffalo would like to pair up Adams with young and talented tackle Pat Williams, another client of Wright’s. The Bills are roughly $7 million under the salary cap and could free up another $5 million if they can work out a deal to trade wide receiver Peerless Price, their franchise player.’