The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes and backup quarterback Kelly Holcomb from the Buffalo Bills late Monday.
The Bills received defensive tackle Darwin Walker and a conditional draft pick in the trade.
Two-time Pro Bowler Takeo Spikes was traded Monday to the Eagles.
(Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
"This is something that has been brewing," Bills general manager Marv Levy said, noting that Spikes will earn $4.5 million US in each of the final two years of his contract.
"Takeo is a good person, but we wanted to strengthen our defensive tackle. They'd been looking for a linebacker and, I think, they wanted an experienced backup quarterback."
Spikes, 30, was seeking a contract extension from Buffalo, with whom he posted 70 tackles and a sack in 12 games last season.
The two-time Pro Bowler has totalled 878 tackles, 21½ sacks, 15 fumble recoveries, 12 interceptions and four touchdowns in 126 games over nine NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Bills.
Spikes was drafted 13th overall out of Auburn by Cincinnati in 1998 before joining Buffalo as a free agent on March 11, 2003.
Holcomb is a 64.5 per cent passer as a pro, having completed 523 of 810 pass attempts for 5,401 yards and 37 touchdowns with 37 interceptions in 39 NFL games, including 21 starts.
The 33-year-old has quarterbacked for the Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns and Bills.
Walker, 29, finished with 36 tackles, six sacks and one interception in 16 games for Philadelphia last season, his seventh in the NFL.
The Tennessee product has amassed 170 tackles, 27½ sacks, five fumble recoveries and one interception in 88 NFL games since being drafted in the third round (71st overall) by the Arizona Cardinals in 2000.
With files from the Associated Press
