Bills Sign DL Greg Gaines

Now 30 years old, Gaines entered the NFL as the Rams’ fourth-round pick in 2019. Gaines did not play a big role in either of his first two seasons, but that changed during the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI-winning 2021 campaign. Replacing the traded Michael Brockers, Gaines started 13 of 17 regular-season games and set career highs in tackles (55), quarterback hits (13) and sacks (4.5). He played 780 defensive snaps, trailing only Aaron Donald among Rams D-linemen.

Gaines started 12 of 16 games and tallied four sacks in 2022, his last season as a Ram. He left to ink the first of three consecutive one-year deals with the Buccaneers in 2023.

While Gaines missed just two of 51 games with Tampa Bay, he saw less action than he did in his final two seasons in Los Angeles. Gaines, who played between 35% and 42% of defensive snaps in each year from 2023-25, made nine starts with the Bucs. He logged modest production along the way, including 23 tackles, three TFL, two QB hits and a pair of sacks over 17 games (four starts) last year.

Buffalo recently called Tampa Bay about disgruntled defensive tackle Vita Vea, one of Gaines’ former linemates, but the Bucs have shown no willingness to trade the two-time Pro Bowler. With Vea apparently staying put, the Bills are addressing their defensive line in a much less splashy way. Gaines will join a group that includes Ed Oliver, Deone Walker, Landon Jackson, DeWayne Carter, Zane Durant, Zion Logue and Travis Clayton. Phidarian Mathis is also on the roster, but the NFL hit him with a three-game suspension last week.

To make room for Gaines, the Bills released defensive tackle Tommy Akingbesote, according to Fowler. Although Dallas took Akingbesote in the seventh round last year, he was unable to earn a roster spot. Akingbesote went on to spend parts of last season on practice squads with the Panthers and Bills. He re-signed with Buffalo on a reserve/futures contract in the offseason.