The signing of E.J. Gaines to a contract worth four million for 2018 should give the Browns a new starting corner, might see a few players on their way out of town and will possibly make the Browns first pick in the secondary in the second or third round rather than the first.
The 26-year-old Gaines, who played for Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams for the then-St.Louis Rams in 2014-15 and then in 2016 after the team moved to Los Angeles, had a strong 2017 in his only season with the Buffalo Bills with 59 tackles, a few forced fumbles and an interception in his eleven starts at Buffalo.
Gaines will challenge to start at cornerback against Terrence Mitchell,(signed from the Chiefs) and Briean Boddy-Calhoun alongside the other Browns free agency signing in T.J. Carrie (T.J and E.J is going to trip quite a few commentators on Browns games next season) as part of a revamped Cleveland secondary that will see three new starters (Damarious Randall from the Packers will be the other) along with the return of Jabrill Peppers, who hopefully will be used differently and one way or the other will show whether or not he is more sizzle or steak after his highly hyped and low production rookie season where the defense did not take advantage of what he does best.
Peppers shouldn't have that excuse in 2018.
This move might be the end of Jamar Taylor in Cleveland, who regressed a bit in 2017 after a strong 2016 after which Sashi Brown signed Taylor to a three year 16.5 million dollar extension, that the Browns would have to eat the final two seasons if the team decided to release Taylor.
I'm not saying that it would be Taylor that would be released, but in a suddenly crowded Browns secondary with free agent arrivals, the return of 2017 fourth rounder Howard Wilson and a likely high draft pick, when you consider Taylor's cost, he looks to be the most likely odd man out...
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