Report: Buffalo Bills release cornerback E.J. Gaines

According to a report, the Buffalo Bills released E.J. Gaines with an injury settlement.

While the Buffalo Bills have another two weeks before they need to begin start making cuts, they made a move on Sunday by releasing E.J. Gaines, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.

This is a move that was expected as E.J. Gaines was likely not going to be apart of the Buffalo Bills this season after landing on the injured reserve last week with a groin injury. The team signed veteran cornerback Captain Munnerlyn to replace Gaines on the roster.

Since the Bills released Gaines with an injury settlement, he will be free to sign with any NFL team once he is recovered.

The Bills signed E.J. Gaines to a one-year deal this offseason to bring him back to Buffalo after playing one season in Cleveland. However, the concern with Gaines and it is something that he can’t shake, is that he is injury prone.

In four seasons in the NFL, Gaines has yet to play a full 16 game season and has only played in 43 out of a possible 80 games. However, the one year he played in Buffalo, the 2017 season, was one of the best of his career. In 11 games, he had 59 total tackles, nine passes defended and one interception.

While it is tough to lose a starting caliber cornerback, the Buffalo Bills have great depth at the position. It was clear early on in training camp that Levi Wallace was going to remain as the team’s starter on the outside and Gaines was playing for a backup role on this team. However, the additions of Kevin Johnson and emergence of Cam Lewis and Lafayette Pitts put Gaines on the roster bubble.

The Buffalo Bills remained undefeated with a 27-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Friday night. They now turn their focus to the Detroit Lions, who they will play this Friday night.