The Bills continued to add to their depth at cornerback Monday signing free agent E.J. Gaines to a one-year contract.
Gaines, 27, is back for his second stint with the Bills. He played for Buffalo in the 2017 season, the first under head coach Sean McDermott.
"It made a lot of sense in my head," said Gaines. "I'm familiar with the coach and the scheme and the defensive game plan and everything so it was a no brainer for me."
Acquired just a month before the 2017 campaign in the trade of Sammy Watkins with the L.A. Rams, Gaines won the starting job at cornerback coming out of training camp.
He would go on to play in 11 games that season and was a major contributor when he was on the field. Gaines posted 59 tackles, nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles and an interception.
The cornerback signed with Cleveland as a free agent last offseason, but appeared in just six games for the Browns, making two starts. Gaines was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list after suffering a concussion.
"It's really been frustrating, but that's been my main focus this offseason, making sure I can stay healthy through 16 games this year," he said. "I really can't change the past and my injury history, but what I can do is make sure I'm ready and prepared for this year."
The addition of Gaines will make for an intense training camp battle for a starting cornerback role with fellow free agent signee Kevin Johnson and incumbent starter Levi Wallace.
