Contract Details Revealed For Patriots' New FB Reggie Gilliam

Within the first few hours of the NFL's legal tampering period for free agents, it was reported that the New England Patriots had signed Buffalo Bills fullback Reggie Gilliam to a three-year deal worth up to $12 million.

As part of the contract, Gilliam is expected to get $6 million guaranteed. Now with the Patriots, who have historically used fullbacks to their advantage, but struggled in their department last year, Gilliam can certainly be expected to have a large role in an offense that took the league by storm in 2025.

But what does the rest of his contract look like?

Here's a breakdown of Gilliam's three-year deal that pried him away from the division rival Bills after six seasons as their primary fullback and a key cog on their special teams units.

Nov 26, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Buffalo Bills fullback Reggie Gilliam (41) in the tunnel against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Gilliam's Contract Details:

According to Joseph Pasteris, Gilliam's three-year deal equates to a base salary of $10.8 million (or an average of $3.6 million a year). While he is guaranteed $6 million, he's also receiving a $2.4 million signing bonus to incentivize him to come to New England.

His base salary in 2026 ($4.4 million) and 2027 ($3.0 million) aren't going to break the bank, allowing the Patriots to potentially move on from him early should this signing not work out. But because of how the contract is structured for a fullback, it's safe to assume he'll remain in New England for the entirety of his three seasons.

In 2028, Gilliam will receive $3.4 million in base salary.

Incentives:

For Gilliam to potentially make the $12 million that his deal caps at, he'll need to hit a variety of contract incentives that were added to the deal.

For each game that Gilliam is active, he's slated to make $35,000 in roster bonuses, as well as a $105,000 workout bonus. He'll also earn up to $400,000 a year in in-game incentives, typically awarded for playing time, statistics, and personal or team honors.

What This Means For New England:

The Patriots clearly wanted to upgrade at fullback, after a season where rookie Brock Lampe suffered a lower-body injury in camp and coverted tight end Jack Westover struggled. Gilliam was among the top fullbacks on the open market, and his ability to chip in on various units on special teams should only add to his value.

He's a fantastic run blocker, earning Pro Football Focus' best grade for that last year. That alone should make Patriots fans happy, as the running game struggled to string together consistent showings at parts of the season.

Gilliam was one of three offensive free agents the team reportedly signed during the legal tampering period, along with New York Jets offensive guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs.

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