The New England Patriots made several signings this offseason, and one of them was unique. The Patriots signed former Buffalo Bills fullback Reggie Gilliam in free agency, a move that surprised many at the time.
Gilliam was brought to the Patriots on a three-year, $10.8 million deal. The move confused many fans at the time, with the fallback position not as popular offensively as it once was.
However, that historically has not been the case for the Patriots. ESPN put together a column on Tuesday afternoon discussing how he will potentially be used in this Patriots offense. It’s safe to say that this might sound familiar to Patriots fans.
Signing seven-year veteran Reggie Gilliam to a three-year, $10.8 million deal was a decisive move early in free agency to add more toughness in the running game. Despite the fullback position becoming less prominent across the NFL in recent years, coordinator Josh McDaniels’ offense has traditionally used it to help dictate matchups.
The Patriots hope Gilliam has a similar impact for them as he did with the Bills in 2025, when he helped running back James Cook lead the NFL with 1,621 rushing yards.
Patriots Have Embraced The Position
If there is any team that embraces the fullback position, it is the Patriots. They have had a successful recent history with the position and have embraced it in their offense. James Develin is perhaps the name best known to Patriots fans. He played for the organization from 2012-2019, making the Pro Bowl in 2017. The bruiser was a three-time Super Bowl champion and was known for his ability to lead block.
Life post-Develin saw the position to continue to be at the forefront of the offense. Jakob Johnson played for the organization from 2019 to 2021. He participated in the international pathway program before coming over to New England from Germany. He, too, started as a reliable piece for the Patriots, before joining Josh McDaniels and the Las Vegas Raiders following the 2021 season.
Jack Westover took over the reins of the position in 2025, and he was dependable. He appeared in all 17 games, making two starts. The Washington product also played in all four postseason games. As far as snaps were concerned, he played 317 offensive snaps and 238 special team snaps. One of the highlights of his season was an eight-yard reception from Drake Maye in the Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Chargers. It was the first perception of his career.
Patriots Trying To Revive The Position
Now, the Patriots are trying to utilize the position once again with Gilliam. As mentioned, this is a McDaniels staple. He featured it prominently and past offenses. The position itself was endearing to Patriots fans in the Tom Brady era as it was a smash valve friend of football. It looks like the team will be trying to replicate that once again.
The fact that eyebrows were raised about the signing is completely fair. Nevertheless, it seems like the Patriots have a plan on how to utilize Gilliam and the position. It’s something that they have done well throughout the course of the organization’s history. Couple that with having an offensive coordinator who is in favor of it, and that is a good combination.
The Patriots’ running attack was strong last year, and now having a fullback as an extra blocker will undoubtedly improve things. If there was one area where they struggled last year, it was in the red zone. They ranked 24th in the NFL, converting only 51% of the red zone trips. The efficiency got as low as 33.3% during the three-game stretch in December.
It will be exciting to see Gilliam in this offense and what type of role he will have.
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