Not too long ago, undrafted rookie free agent Reggie Gilliam was apparently involved in a “great battle” for the fullback spot with Patrick DiMarco according to Buffalo Bills special teams coordinator Heath Farwell. A recent development suggests that this battle might be over.
Gilliam had been wearing number 41 with the Bills to go along with his listing as a fullback. That changed on September 1 when it was learned Gilliam had swapped jerseys to number 86. Running backs and fullbacks can’t wear numbers in the 80s, per league rules. Gilliam is now listed as a tight end.
What does this mean for the Bills? There are several possibilities. If they elect to keep a fullback then Gilliam has lost the “great battle” to DiMarco and they’re trying out something else.
In contrast, it could mean a shift away from the fullback position altogether. A positive showing by Gilliam was felt to give him the edge as Buffalo can cut DiMarco and loosen up the cap a bit. If Gilliam still has that edge, it could mean the shift in position is an indicator that they’ll use more of an H-back role and Gilliam’s “victory” over DiMarco means he’s now in the mix with a new group.
With sparse information coming from the team this year, it’s hard to tell what this predicts. Regardless, stay tuned and we’ll bring you the latest.