The third time is hopefully the charm for the Bills and cornerback E.J. Gaines.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Bills have re-signed Gaines. The contract is said to be a one-year deal.
Gaines first joined the Bills in 2017 via trade, coming to Buffalo in the deal that sent Sammy Watkins to the Rams. Gaines had a successful season that year, notching 59 tackles, nine passes defended and an interception.
But he did only appear in 11 games due to injury, a problem that’s followed him his entire career.
Speaking of which, Gaines left the Bills following the 2017 season in free agency, inking a one-year deal with the Browns; he played only six games with them. Then he had a stint with the Bills in 2019, but was released with an injury settlement in August because of a core muscle injury.
Gaines’ injury history is extensive and his most serious was in 2015, a Lisfranc injury. Terms of his newest deal with the Bills have yet to be released, but it’s unlikely the 28-year-old comes with a high price tag based on his injury history.
When healthy, Gaines can provide the Bills with versatility as a slot cornerback or on the outside, which is where he played in 2017. But with the additions of Josh Norman and returner Levi Wallace to consider, that Bills’ secondary will be a tight positional battle in training camp.
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