The Buffalo Bills have signed cornerback E.J. Gaines to a one-year, $3.6 million contract, according to Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle.
This will mark Gaines' second stint with the Bills, as he played in 11 games for the team in 2017, finishing with 59 tackles, an interception, three forced fumbles and nine passes defended.
Gaines spent the 2018 campaign with the Cleveland Browns, appearing in just six contests due to a pair of concussions that ultimately landed him on the injured reserve list. During the time he was on the field, Gaines registered 13 tackles and a pick.
The 27-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Missouri, was originally selected by the St. Louis Rams in the sixth round (188th pick overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft.
He started 15 games during his rookie year, tallying 70 tackles, a couple of interceptions, a fumble recovery and 14 passes defended. He then proceeded to miss the entire 2015 campaign due to a Lisfranc injury, but the following season, Gaines participated in 11 contests and totaled 56 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and seven passes defended.
The Independence, Mo. native went on to sign with the Browns that ensuing offseason.
The Bills are coming off of a 2018 season in which they won just six games, one year after going 9-7 and making the playoffs for the first time since the 1999-00 campaign, ending the longest postseason drought in the NFL.
Since 2000, Buffalo has registered just three winning seasons and has failed to win 10 games in any one of those years.
The Bills have also not won a playoff game since the 1995-96 campaign.