E.J. Gaines has signed on for a third stint with the Bills. Buffalo and the veteran cornerback agreed to terms on a one-year deal Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The former Rams draft choice played for the Bills in 2017 and re-signed with Buffalo last year. But an injury derailed those plans, and the Bills reached an injury settlement with Gaines in August. He did not land with another team last season.
This signing comes a year and a day after the last time Gaines agreed to join the Bills for a second time. He is hoping to rebound after multiple injury-marred seasons. A midseason malady also cut his 2018 Browns stay short. This will be Gaines’ age-28 season, so if he’s healthy, he should have a decent chance to make the Bills’ regular-season roster and contribute.
Gaines will join Josh Norman as incoming Bills corners eyeing spots alongside Tre’Davious White. Youngsters Levi Wallace, Taron Johnson and Siran Neal will also be in that mix. The Bills lost Kevin Johnson to the Browns earlier in free agency.
Although he has only played in six games since his 2017 Bills run, Gaines started 11 games with Buffalo in his first stay there. Gaines suffered a concussion during his 2018 Cleveland season, which ended in November 2018.
Awesome! I was bummed he got hurt before the season started last year. Hopefully he can regain his form!
*Insert Shake It Up theme song here*