Bills' Newest Free Agent Will Have Big Impact on Buffalo’s Emerging Star Player

New Bills DT Greg Gaines will have an impact far beyond his own production.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Greg Gaines participates in training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Knowing they needed more depth along the defensive line, the Buffalo Bills added veteran defensive tackle Greg Gaines earlier this week.

Head coach Joe Brady said he found dealing with Gaines to be "an issue" when he faced him in the past. Gaines hasn't put up elite numbers, but that's not what he's known for. Instead, he's a player who fills in the gaps and clogs lanes against the run.

Players who focus on this dirty work might not get much praise, but they do make a huge impact by freeing up others to use their athleticism. That's exactly what Joe Marino believes will happen in Buffalo now that they've added Gaines.

Greg Gaines will help Deone Walker continue to grow

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker prior to the game between the Carolina Panthers and Bills. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Marino spoke about the addition during a recent episode of Locked on Bills. Marino said Gaines will allow ascending star Deone Walker to move around the line more and use his athleticism and strength to find mismatches.

"I think the arrival of Greg Gaines only helps Deone Walker because Greg Gaines can do that dirty work in the, in the A gaps. He can do it. And I don't necessarily want Deone Walker doing that all the time. As I've said before, I don't really think Deone Walker is optimized as a nose tackle," Marino said.

"I think he's optimized playing up and down your front. 4-I to 4-I. Don't make him play exclusively in the A-gaps. I think that takes away from the playmaking ability that he has. And Jim Leonhard said as much that, hey, we talk so much about Ed (Oliver) as being a movement piece. Same is true for Deone Walker. You don't want him as a static-aligned player. You want him all over the place. Get those mismatches."

Walker was a steal as a fourth-round pick in 2025 and he enters this season as one of the more promising players in Jim Leonhard's defense. We saw how disruptive he can be in this scheme during the preseason opener, with Walker recording three tackles and a sack in just a few series.

Greg Gaines brings championship experience as well

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow runs for a first down against Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Greg Gaines. | USA TODAY Sports

Gaines spent the past three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after beginning his career with a four-year stint with the Los Angeles Rams.

That included playing for the Rams during the 2021 season, which was the year they won the Super Bowl. He joins former teammate Michael Hoecht and C.J. Gardner-Johnson as a key contributor for the Bills who happens to bring Super Bowl experience.

Buffalo hopes to push through the playoff wall and Gaines gives them a player who knows what it takes. As important as that is, it's still secondary to what he can do for Walker's continued development.

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