The New England Patriots’ active roster got shaken up big time right before their Week 5 clash against the Las Vegas Raiders. Fullback Reggie Gilliam, the team’s highest-paid fullback in terms of total contract value at a whopping three-year, $10.8 million, just got placed on injured reserve. This is a huge blow, especially considering the team had “big plans” for him on both offense and special teams after that free agency splash. Now those plans are on hold, at least for a while.
Reggie Gilliam’s IR Stint Puts The Run Game Under The Microscope
Listen, signing Gilliam was no small move. The Patriots put their money where their mouth was, making him the top-paid FB in the league. You don’t do that without serious expectations. But with previous knee and ankle issues, he’s now officially on IR and out for at least four games. We knew he was out for the Raiders game, but now he’ll miss the Jets, Bears, and Dolphins matchups too. On paper, that looked like a comparatively easy stretch, but now? Yikes.
The real kicker is the team’s run game has been struggling already, even with Gilliam on the field. He was only playing 22% of offensive snaps and 41% on special teams. So while he wasn’t necessarily bad, his role and the entire run game were clearly a work in progress. Now, that progress hits a brick wall. Gilliam won’t even be eligible to return to practice until early November. This makes him the fourth serious offseason addition to land on IR, with tight end Julian Hill out for the rest of the season. At least Gilliam, along with wide receiver A.J. Brown and offensive lineman Greg Van Roten, can potentially come back later.
So, how do they even replace their only fullback? There’s a chance they just don’t. They could throw undrafted rookie tight end Tanner Arkin into a fullback or H-back hybrid role, something he dabbled in over the summer. Or, and this is wild, they could bring back second-year FB Brock Lampe, who was cut before training camp in 2025 and is currently chilling on the Bills’ practice squad. Talk about needing to dig deep!
Hollins Out, Chism Time, And The Next Men Up
Speaking of digging deep, wide receiver Mack Hollins is also headed to injured reserve after he sustained a calf injury against his old team, the Bills, last Sunday. This news means one thing for sure: it’s officially the Efton Chism Show. Chism has been performing well, and his teammates and coaches have been raving about him since he made those two big catches. So, yeah, expect to see a lot more of him.
With Gilliam and Hollins going down, safety and special teamer Brenden Schooler and cornerback Kindle Vildor are stepping up to fill their spots on the 53-man roster. The team also elevated linebacker K.J. Britt and safety Elliott Davison from the practice squad for the Raiders game, showing they are scrambling to patch holes wherever they can.
This team needs to figure things out fast. With Gilliam out for that four-game stretch against the Jets, Bears, and Dolphins, and Hollins sidelined, every game counts. The run game needs answers, and new faces are going to have to step up big time if this team wants to make any noise. Let’s see if this “work in progress” can actually progress.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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