By Brandon J. Koch
For the first time in over a decade, when it comes to the Buffalo Bills secondary, there’s not much to worry about.
Both safeties were signed last offseason and cornerback Tre’Davious White is coming off a spectacular rookie season.
But what about the number two corner spot?
The Bills acquired EJ Gaines back in a August trade. When he was healthy during the season, he was playing at a probowl level.
When healthy.
Gaines missed five games this past season with all different lower body injuries. The Bills only won one game without him.
With Gaines in the lineup? The team was 8-3. Now of course there’s more to it than that, but it makes you go back and look at how much of a impact Gaines had.
Of course staying healthy is the key topic when dealing with a contract. The salary cap is important, especially when GM Brandon Beane made it a priority to talk about how close they are to getting back to normalcy when dealing with the cap.
Would they want to resign Gaines knowing he’s missed games and has had injuries and operations in the past?
What is the kind of market for Gaines? If the Bills can find a way to sign him for a bargain, of course they would do it. But if it’s 7-8 million dollars a year, would they want him then?
Pro Football Focus graded Gaines at a 86.6 this season, the 13th best corner in the league by their standards.
I’m all for him coming back, he’s a real difference maker, but I wouldn’t overpay.
Gaines has 59 tackles, 3 forces fumbles and 1 interception in 2017.
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