ATLANTA - DECEMBER 06: Brandon Spikes #51, Brandon Hicks #40 and Joe Haden #5 of the Florida Gators tackle running back Mark Ingram #22 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the SEC Championship on December 6, 2008 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Florida football hero finds a team after one-year NFL hiatus

That was a quick return.

Florida football hero and former New England Patriot Brandon Spikes is headed back to the AFC East. This time he's joining a rival of the Patriots in the Buffalo Bills where he played a season before going on a one-year hiatus. The signing couldn't come soon enough as former Bama linebacker Reggie Ragland may miss significant time with a knee injury.

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While Spikes didn't play in 2015, his stats from 2014 are certainly something that caught the eyes of the Bills and could help their defense this year. The Bills need serious depth at linebacker and this could definitely help them.

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Spikes had a four-game suspension he had to serve stemming from an off field incident that violated the NFL's conduct policy. However, it seems he'll be able to play right away for the Bills rather than sit out.

The former two-time national collegiate champ and two-time All-American has recorded 340 tackles in his five years in the league and will be looking to add to that total with the Bills this season.