The New England Patriots will pull a notable move grabbing a top blocking back from their fiercest division rival, with reports indicating the Patriots are signing former Buffalo Bills fullback Reggie Gilliam in free agency. The veteran blocker, widely valued for his run-game work and versatility on special teams, would give the Patriots another physical piece in front of young quarterback Drake Maye while simultaneously taking a key role player away from Buffalo.
NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo reported that New England is signing Gilliam to a three-year contract worth up to $12 million, including $6 million guaranteed. The 28-year-old spent the first six seasons of his career with Buffalo, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Toledo in 2020.
The former Buffalo Bills blocker “led all fullbacks in PFF run-blocking grade (73.5) and didn’t allow any pressures on 24 pass-blocking snaps,” according to Pro Football Focus stats cited by Locked on Patriots host Nick Cattles.
How Does Gilliam Make the Patriots Offense Better?
In Buffalo, Gilliam carved out a reputation as one of the AFC East’s most dependable lead blockers while also contributing on special teams. Though the 28-year-old Gilliam rarely lit up the stat sheet, his impact was felt in the Bills’ ground game and short-yardage packages, where his physical blocking and versatility made him a valuable piece of Buffalo’s offense. His departure now sends that experience across the division to New England, giving the Patriots another power element in the backfield as they continue reshaping the offense around second-year quarterback and NFL MVP runner-up Drake Maye.
“The Patriots used 21-personnel on 15.3 percent of their snaps, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL last season. However, they netted a negative EPA per play out of their primary fullback grouping (-0.02),” noted longtime Patriots analyst Evan Lazar of Patriots.com, in his report on the acquisition. “Adding Gilliam should bring back a big staple to Josh McDaniels’s offense.”
Why Did the Patriots Prioritize Signing a Fullback?
The Patriots made a stunning run all the way to the Super Bowl last season, but they did it despite Maye performing in the postseason significantly below his outstanding regular-season standard. Perhaps most disturbing for the Patriots, whose future rides on the 23-year-old Maye’s arm, their 2024 No. 3 overall draft pick suffered a record 21 sacks in four postseason games — after taking 47 in the regular season, fourth-most in the NFL.
While Maye’s tendency to hold the ball longer than he should as he scans for downfield receivers explains part of the problem, much of the beating that Maye absorbed, especially in the postseason, was the responsibility of the offensive line — which started two rookies, both coming off injuries, on the left side of the line in tackle Will Campbell and guard Jared Wilson.
At the same time, the Patriots’ primary fullback grouping recorded a negative expected points added in the regular season at -0.02, according to Lazar. In other words, Patriots fullbacks were a liability, not an asset, for Maye and Patriots running backs Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson. In a Josh McDaniels offense that has long relied on fullback blocking schemes, the lack of a solid fullback posed a serious problem.
That should change with the addition of Gilliam.
Patriots Just Stole Top Run Blocker From Bills — NFL Insider