Buffalo Bills: 5 bold predictions entering training camp

Reggie Gilliam pushes Patrick DiMarco out of fullback spot

While it would be surprising to see an undrafted rookie overtaking Patrick DiMarco in this unprecedented offseason, Gilliam offers a versatile skillset which could make the Bills coaching staff take a long look at him.

While DiMarco offers a lot of value on special teams, he offers virtually nothing on offense. While he is a decent run blocker, he is used sparingly as the Buffalo Bills rely heavily on 11 personnel sets. Gilliam who was a tight end at Toledo has superior talent to DiMarco in terms of the offensive side of the ball.

DiMarco only played 16% of the offensive snaps in 2019, and 37% of snaps on special teams. While there isn’t a ton of crucial snaps to take here for Gilliam, every snap counts and the Bills pride themselves in special teams play.

Gilliam possesses unique physical traits, which are far superior to those of DiMarco. He shone in his pro day:

Coming in at around 6’0″ and a thick 244 pounds, Gilliam ran an exceptional 4.58 40-yard dash and also had a vertical of 36″ which is relatively unheard of for a guy his size.

The former Toledo tight end was a special teams ace during his time in college and will have to keep that same mold if he wants to make the Bills. Gilliam led all of college with 4 blocked punts last season.

In an interview with The Toledo Blade, interviewed by David Briggs, many of Gilliam’s teammates and coaches revealed their admiration for the fullbacks character:

"“I like to promote other people,” Gilliam said. “I want to make other people look good.” And so he does just that. If by chance Gilliam gets the ball, great. He has two catches for 11 yards this season. If not, that’s cool, too. The former walk-on-turned-two-time-captain is the wood-paneled station wagon of Toledo football. What he lacks in style, he makes up for in utility, his land-clearing blocks getting the Rockets to their destination right on time. “It’s not flashy,” coach Jason Candle said. “You’re going to interview the guy that rides around in the carriage. That guy (Gilliam) is the horse that pulls the carriage around and makes the whole thing go.” Well, today, we are going to interview the horse who pulls the carriage."

It’s impressive for a player who had such a small role statistically (52 receiving yards), could be referred to the player who “makes the whole thing go”.

"For all that we talk about the dark side of college athletics, here’s a guy who represents the best of it. A student who worked his way from ineligible as a freshman to one of the top students on the team. (Gilliam graduated last spring with a 3.7 grade-point average and is in pursuit of his master’s degree.) An athlete who willed his way from a no-star recruit to one of the top pro prospects on the team. (“Every NFL scout that comes in,” Candle said, “he’s the first guy they ask about.”) A teammate who gets his kicks in the achievement of others. Know how many times the guy who has eight catches in two years as a starter has grumbled about his role? “Never,” Candle said. This shouldn’t surprise, either."

A great student in the classroom, Gilliam was the model player during his years at Toledo, and was without a doubt one of Beane and McDermott’s favorite signings of the offseason.

Between Gilliam’s great athleticism, exceptional special teams ability and his astounding character, the Bills will have to make a tougher decision than most would expect at the fullback position.