Even though he’s found someone who wants him, and even though that might be a better professional situation for him, it was still hard for C.J. Spiller to leave.
As the now-Saints running back was packing up his things in Buffalo, he told Tim Graham of the Buffalo News that he didn’t realize how difficult it would be to go.
“I thought it would be a smooth cleanout,” Spiller said. “But you start packing up and keep coming across something that brings all the memories flooding back to you. It starts sinking in that you’re moving on. . . .
“I’ll always be a Buffalo Bill at heart. This is where my journey began. I’ll always have love for this city and look forward to watching them play and look for them to get back to where they belong. This is a special place, and I can tell they’re building something special.”
Of course, the Bills never built around Spiller the way it seemed they might after taking him ninth overall in 2010. Part of that was on him, part on old coaches and part on a deep depth chart at his position, but Spiller only hinted at his ability.
His 2012 Pro Bowl season of 1,703 yards from scrimmage was the outlier rather than the norm, as coaches struggled to involve him, particularly in the red zone. That became increasingly difficult under Doug Marrone the last two years.
“It was frustrating,” Spiller said. “I’m not going to sit here and say I was happy about the situation because I would be lying. Like any competitor, you want to be on the field, trying to help your team win, trying to score touchdowns. To have the opportunity … I don’t want to say ‘taken away.’ I guess I should say ‘to not be given the opportunity’ because of my size was tough. . . .
“Probably a young, college No. 28 would’ve said some things,” he said. “But I grew as a player by watching guys like Fred [Jackson] and Marshawn [Lynch] prepare and from guys like Kyle Williams.
“Just watching the way Kyle Williams competed each and every Sunday, how he battled through injuries, how he gave it his all, his passion for the game, the energy he brought to the locker room and the way he handled himself off the field. Those are the things you take with you.”
Now, he’ll be splitting time in the Saints backfield with Mark Ingram, a situation not unique to him. But given the way coach Sean Payton has used guys such as Darren Sproles in the past, there’s no reason to think Spiller won’t have an impact in New Orleans.