Byzantium's Shores: chronicling the misadventures of an overalls-clad hippie

The Buffalo Bills have been pretty aggressive so far this offseason, even since my last update on them, two days ago. Now they've signed Cincinnati Bengals free-agent linebacker Takeo Spikes, who is apparently one of those really good players who has had the misfortune of playing his first four years in the NFL on one of the worst teams, so nobody's heard of him yet. I remember listening to the Bills game last season against the Bengals on the radio -- it was the last game of the year, the Bills were already out of the playoffs, and it was against the Bengals, so it didn't come anywhere near a sell-out for TV -- and the Bills' radio announcers were gushing about this Spikes guy. The Bengals have made him their "transition" player, which means they can match any contract offered to him and he has to stay put; but the Bengals have already signed his apparent replacement, so it looks very much like they're letting him go.

Also, the Bengals' most recent head coach, Dick LeBeau, has joined the Bills as assistant head coach. Even considering the Bengals' woefulness the last few years, I can't think this is anything but good. LeBeau's resume is very impressive, as a defensive mind, and he should be a big help to Bills head coach Gregg Williams.

And lastly, the Bills apparently are close to signing Tennessee free agent receiver Kevin Dyson, to be their third wide-out after the former number three, Josh Reed, moves up to Number Two following the Peerless Price trade.

I still have questions about Gregg Williams as a head coach -- even on a rebuilding team he's been outcoached and embarrassed too many times for my tastes -- but the Bills' current braintrust is, to my mind, putting on a clinic over the last few years of how to rebuild a team quickly.