The Buffalo Bills have signed nose tackle Greg Gaines, who most recently played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With Gaines already a rotational piece in Tampa, there’s no expectation for him to come in and usurp anyone’s spot. That said, with most defensive schemes becoming a hybrid style, is it possible Gaines could carve out a solid rotational role?
The Film
I won’t belabor the analysis for Gaines, because I think the paper trail and stats show most of what you need to know anyway. Well aside from one thing that is. I keep seeing the term “nose tackle” used in relation to Gaines, and as you might have noticed from the film, that’s not strictly accurate. Gaines’ most recent season saw him float around the line a bit.
Now that might be the result of the Buccaneers having Vita Vea on the roster, but what it means for Buffalo is versatility. As the third heaviest defensive lineman (behind Deone Walker and Zion Logue, and tied with Phidarian Mathis), Gaines could certainly be in the mix for nose tackle, but we’ll have to see what Jim Leonhard has in store.
Now for my analysis on the man himself, I would characterize Gaines as “mostly unremarkable.” That’s not an insult. While Gaines doesn’t seem to excel in any one area, he’s also not incapable in any one area either. Gaines is a dependable veteran with a high floor. It’s not an exciting signing, but it’s never a bad idea to have depth in the trenches. If Gaines sticks, it’s possible he sees time in the rotation. If he winds up as just a camp body, it means the Bills think pretty highly of everyone else.
