Gaines, who has started 32 games for Tampa since the beginning of the 2023 season, will stay with the Bucs in 2025. Used mostly as a rotational player, Gaines has just two sacks over this two seasons with the Bucs. Tampa last year had the NFL’s tenth highest QB pressure rate.

Gaines started 25 games for the Rams over the previous two seasons after being drafted with the 134th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He managed 8.5 sacks and 19 quarterback hits during that time. Gaines should immediately enter the starting lineup for a rebuilding Buccaneers franchise, particularly considering the turnover expected along the defensive line. Gaines notably played 90 percent of the defensive snaps for the Rams in their Super Bowl win two seasons ago.