Reggie Gilliam spent six years in Buffalo touching the ball 24 times. That's not a career — that's a cameo. Now with the Patriots, the fullback is betting Mike Vrabel's offense actually has a use for him beyond lead-blocking grunt work.
The math here is brutal. Twenty-four touches across six seasons averages four per year. Four. Gilliam was a prop, essentially, when he could've been productive. That's not on him — that's on offensive scheme and roster construction. The Bills, running their wide-open attack, never needed a traditional fullback in the way some offenses do. Reggie was a rounding error in their playbook.
Enter Vrabel and the Patriots. This coaching staff actually believes in fullback football. Jack Westover is on the roster too, so this isn't about replacing an injured star — it's about philosophy. A power-run scheme, play-action looks off two-back sets, goal-line grunt work. The Patriots' depth chart suggests they're building something more physical and less finesse-dependent than the recent Patriots era.
For Gilliam, this is a legitimate second act opportunity. He's hungry. He's got tape that shows he can move and catch, even if opportunities were scarce in Buffalo. At this point in his career, he's either a depth piece finding his role or he's a cautionary tale about fit mattering more than talent. The Patriots are betting on the former, and frankly, it makes sense. Vrabel runs the kind of offense where a fullback with actual ability to carry the ball or line him up in space can matter.
This is a low-risk flier with real upside. If it works, Gilliam finds his niche. If not, well, the Patriots move on. But unlike those six quiet years in Buffalo, at least this organization is committed to finding out what he can actually do.