Will the Patriots re-sign Brandon Spikes?

Photo via bleacherreport.com

Brandon Spikes is a monster of a man. He has made a name for himself in the NFL as a top notch run stuffer, a defender who can single handedly shut down an opponents run game.

How many times a game have we see Spikes sprint to the line of scrimmage, blow up a block and wreck the running back? The answer is often, and its terrific to watch.

Spike though does have his flaws, particularly in pass coverage. While he is known to get a timely interception here and there, he also can be abused in the passing attack. His size is his greatest weakness, and in a NFL where tight ends are becoming as athletic as receivers, Spikes just can’t keep up with them and it often results and huge plays.

According to Spotrac.com, the Patriots will have an estimated 6.2 million dollars in cap space next year and the Pats have other key players like Julian Edelman and Aqib Talib also hitting free agency next year.

To me, both these guys are more important than Spikes to the team and should easily have preference over him. Edelman has shown to be a younger Wes while Talib can be the shutdown corner the Patriots haven’t had since Ty Law.

Spikes is a terrific run stuffing linebacker, but that’s not what the Patriots need. The Pats have always struggled with covering tight ends and while Talib at times can shut down a TE, the Pats need athletic linebackers, like Jerod Mayo and Jamie Collins, the kid they just drafted out of Southern Miss, to be able to drop back and cover. The Patriots also have good luck when it comes to drafting linebackers. Mayo was drafted by the Patriots and has been phenomenal, Collins, in the starts he has had, has played well, and even Hightower, who due to injuries is being thrust in a position he isn’t used to, is getting better and showing that he isn’t the bust we all like to think he is.

The Patriots have a tendency to let players go after their rookie contracts due to the price the player is asking for and their belief they can find a cheaper option. Spikes will be looking for a lot of money (and rightfully so) but the Patriots won’t be the team to give it to him.

- Pete Rogers
@ftcsports
@petahrahgas