Throughout his multiple tenures in New England, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has loved to utilize fullbacks on the offensive line and in the red zone. Over the last six years, however, that hasn't been the Patriots' common practice, with or without McDaniels calling offensive plays.
Since James Develin retired in 2020, the fullback position has become a thing of the past, but that changed on Monday when the Patriots signed Reggie Gilliam from the Bills to a three-year deal, proving McDaniels wants to get back to his roots again.
The #Patriots have agreed to terms with FB Reggie Gilliam on a three-year deal worth up to $12 million with $6 million fully guaranteed in a deal done by his agent Brad Cicala.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 9, 2026
Gilliam gets $4.4M in the first year of the deal to join a new AFC East team. pic.twitter.com/fbMUeSLBeP
Not only will Gilliam play a significant role on the offensive line, a weakness they were likely to prioritize this offseason, but he will also be a big help in the run game. That was another part of the offense that struggled far more than it should have in 2025, but Gilliam was a big reason the unit was incredibly successful in Buffalo.
It's one of the smarter, yet underrated moves Mike Vrabel and Co. have made so far, and probably will once free agency officially begins on Wednesday.
Josh McDaniels is getting a fullback back on the roster like the Patriots' dynasty days
Choosing to sign a fullback is not one of the most popular moves the Patriots could make, yet it feels like something they would do early in free agency.
Signing Gilliam shows they are emphasizing the offense once more and want to ensure the offensive line is in a better position in 2026 for Drake Maye and the backfield. With Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson ready to roll, the protection from the linemen needs to be top-tier, so adding a guy like Gilliam brings them closer to achieving that.
His production isn't going to excite anyone, but fullbacks typically don't do that, anyway.
We've seen from McDaniels' past how well he can utilize the position and use them when it makes the most sense (i.e., Develin). We've also seen more recently how successful the 49ers have been with Kyle Juszczyk, and perhaps the Patriots can try to replicate that as well.