The Buffalo Bills added some veteran experience to their defensive line this week, signing defensive tackle Greg Gaines to a one-year contract ahead of their second preseason game.
Gaines joins Buffalo as an experienced interior defensive lineman entering his eighth NFL season. The 6-foot-1, 312-pound defensive tackle was originally selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent his first four seasons with the Rams and was part of Los Angeles' Super Bowl championship team during the 2021 season. Gaines then spent the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2023 through 2025.
On the surface, the contract is fairly straightforward. According to Spotrac, Gaines signed a one-year, $1.3 million Veteran Salary Benefit contract with Buffalo that includes $137,500 guaranteed signing bonus and a $50,000 Week 1 roster bonus.
Gaines' experience is important when looking at his contract. He has seven credited NFL seasons, which establishes his minimum salary for 2026.
But the actual mechanics of the deal are a little more interesting than the $1.3 million number suggests. Thanks to the NFL's Veteran Salary Benefit (VSB), the Bills can pay Gaines the veteran minimum appropriate for his experience while carrying a substantially smaller number against their salary cap.
#contract #experience
Gaines joins Buffalo as an experienced interior defensive lineman entering his eighth NFL season. The 6-foot-1, 312-pound defensive tackle was originally selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent his first four seasons with the Rams and was part of Los Angeles' Super Bowl championship team during the 2021 season. Gaines then spent the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2023 through 2025.
On the surface, the contract is fairly straightforward. According to Spotrac, Gaines signed a one-year, $1.3 million Veteran Salary Benefit contract with Buffalo that includes $137,500 guaranteed signing bonus and a $50,000 Week 1 roster bonus.
Gaines' experience is important when looking at his contract. He has seven credited NFL seasons, which establishes his minimum salary for 2026.
But the actual mechanics of the deal are a little more interesting than the $1.3 million number suggests. Thanks to the NFL's Veteran Salary Benefit (VSB), the Bills can pay Gaines the veteran minimum appropriate for his experience while carrying a substantially smaller number against their salary cap.
#contract #experience
1 month ago
