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Bengals sign former RedHawk Gaines
Ex-Miami cornerback calls Cincinnati a better fit, says release from Browns didn't keep him down too long.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Springfield South High School graduate and former Miami University star Jerrid Gaines already is finding out about the ups and downs of being a professional athlete.
Signed by the Cleveland Browns right after the NFL draft concluded last month, then released after their rookie minicamp, Gaines found himself in the dumps.
Extras
But Thursday, May 29, things took a turn for the better when he signed a one-year college free-agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Actually, I like the Bengals' team better," said Gaines, a 5-foot-9, 189-pound cornerback. "It's a better fit for me."
It all happened so fast.
"Kevin Coyle, the defensive backs coach, came to my pro days at Miami and said he's watched me the last year," Gaines said. "So I came here Tuesday as far as a tryout. I thought, 'I'll keep working hard and see what happens.' "
What happened was a call from Director of Football Operations Jim Lippincott.
"He called me and said he was a big fan of mine from my Miami days," said Gaines, who was a four-year letter winner with the RedHawks and played in 51 games. In 2007, he had 43 tackles and an interception.
Next thing Gaines knew, he was a Bengal. But he's not operating under any delusions. He knows Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall have the inside track to the starting cornerback jobs.
"I'll just come in and compete for a backup job or maybe as a nickel back," he said. "If I get time at corner, all the better. I also played on kickoff returns and punt returns (at Miami). I'll do anything I can to get out on the field."
He knows his stay with the Bengals might not be too long.
"I don't know about the training camp situation," he said. "I'll go to minicamp. Hopefully I'll impress from there. The only thing I'm doing right now is taking it one practice at a time, one day at a time."
He learned that from his short stay with the Browns.
"I was down for a couple of days (after being released), but I know I'm a good player," he said. "I just kept looking to get better.
"(With the Browns), I was a lot more nervous and didn't play under control, not like my last couple of days here. Things have been great. I learned most of the defense here in two or three days. That made me more relaxed."
