Phillip Gaines is a free agent again after being cut by Buffalo Bills
By Matt Conner
The Buffalo Bills have officially cut ties with cornerback Phillip Gaines, which means the former Chiefs cornerback is now a free agent once again.
Former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Phillip Gaines has been released by the Buffalo Bills in order to make room for cornerback prospect Levi Wallace.
Gaines signed with the Bills this past spring as a free agent after the Chiefs decided to not only move but clean house entirely of the majority of the secondary. Gaines signed a one-year deal at the time worth $880K.
Gaines entered the NFL as a third-round choice of the Chiefs in the 2014 NFL Draft, one of the very few draft picks by former general manager John Dorsey that didn’t work out as planned. Gaines showed early promise as a prospect out of Rice, but unfortunately, injury issues sidelined in both 2015 and 2016, the former being a year in which he only played three total games after earning a starting role.
After the 2017 season, general manager Brett Veach decided to clean house in the secondary and allowed Gaines to enter free agency after his rookie contract had wrapped. The team also traded away Marcus Peters and allowed Steven Terrell, Darrelle Revis, Terrance Mitchell and Kenneth Acker to all leave in free agency as well. The goal was a complete reinvention at cornerback.
Gaines had started six games for the Bills so far this season and had 30 tackles with 2 passes defended to show for his efforts.
Levi Wallace is a rookie free agent out of Alabama from the Bills practice squad. He is earning his first look on the active roster since the regular season began.