In search of veteran linebacker depth behind two rehabbing starters, the New England Patriots brought back a familiar face with a fondness for terrorizing opponents' running games.
According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Patriots have agreed to a one-year deal with run-stuffing linebacker Brandon Spikes, who spent four years in New England after the team drafted him in the second round of the 2010 draft. He left the Patriots on shaky terms following the 2013 season and signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills, but his return Monday should now give New England an insurance policy while starters Dont'a Hightower and Jerod Mayo recover from serious injuries.