Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots 90-man roster already featured a pair of fullbacks in Jack Westover and 2025 UDFA Brock Lampe. That did not stop them from adding another in free agency as one of their first signings: Reggie Gilliam.
Signing a three-year, $10.8 million contract, Gilliam slotted in atop the fullback depth chart and projects as a contributing piece in Josh McDaniels’ offense.
Name: Reggie Gilliam
Position: Fullback
Jersey number: 44
Opening day age: 29 (8/20/1997)
Measurements: 6’0 5/8”, 255 lbs, 9 1/4” hand size, 34” arm length, N/A Relative Athletic Score
NFL: Buffalo Bills (2020-25), New England Patriots (2026-) | College: Toledo (2016-19)
Coming out of Westland High School in Galloway, OH, Gilliam was a walk-on at Toledo in 2016. He went on to appear in 40 games over four years for the Rockets playing both tight end and fullback. He also took on a key special teams role and ended his collegiate career with 18 receptions for 153 yards and three touchdowns as well as six blocked kicks — including four his junior season when he was named second-team All-Mid-American-Conference.
Gilliam was signed by the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and made the team’s 53-man roster out of training camp. That is where he has gone on to play his entire NFL career to date, earning a two-year, $5.2 million contract extension in 2022 before re-signing in 2025 on a one-year, $2 million contract.
When Gilliam left Buffalo after the 2025 season, he did so with 94 regular season games and 14 playoff contests on his résumé. He also has caught 19 combined passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns, and gained 14 yards on eight career carries.
Strengths: Despite earning the nickname “Sledge” during his time in Buffalo, Gilliam is not the traditional downhill thumper that Josh McDaniels has typically employed at fullback. While Gilliam is certainly no stranger to contact and prides himself on the physicality he plays with, he is at his best as a movement piece and in motion — shinning in Buffalo’s outside zone run scheme — where he can often get to the second level.
The Bills were very successful running out of their two back groupings with Gilliam last season, averaging 4.9 yards per rush. New England, however, averaged just 3.1 yards and a negative EPA/rush. That hurt their play-action success out of those groups, while Buffalo averaged nearly 9.0 yards per pass with Gilliam on the field. He also played a key role in the Bills’ tush push as he served as the “pusher” behind Josh Allen. Buffalo was one of the top team’s in the league on QB sneaks while the Patriots finished near the middle of the pack.
Lastly, Gilliam is a strong special teams player across multiple units. He played a key role as a blocker on Buffalo’s successful kickoff return unit and recorded a career-high 13 special teams tackles last season.
Weaknesses: As a versatile...
