Bills elect not to match Mike Gillislee offer sheet
The Buffalo Bills have decided against matching the offer sheet that Running Back Mike Gillislee signed with division rival New England Patriots.
Late last week, it was reported that the New England Patriots had signed Buffalo Bills restricted free agent running back Mike Gillislee to an offer sheet worth $6.4 million. The Bills have decided that the price for Mike Gillislee is too steep and that they would rather take their chances drafting a potential replacement or finding one on the free agent market.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that it was a done deal and Gillislee was on his way to the Patriots.
Bills declined to match two-year, $6.4 million offer sheet that RB Mike Gillislee signed with Patriots, per source. Gillislee now a Pat.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2017
In return for RB Mike Gillislee, Bills will receive Patriots' fifth-round pick.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2017
In return for Mike Gillislee the Buffalo Bills are slated to receive a fifth round draft pick from the New England Patriots. The fifth round is the original round in which Gillislee was drafted by the Miami Dolphins. This will be the third team in the AFC East that Gillislee has been rostered on and his fourth team overall since he was drafted in 2013.
For the Bills, this means that they will likely have to find a backup running back somewhere in free agency or the draft. Neither should be a problem as many free agents remain at the position and the draft is seemingly loaded at RB as well. Regardless, it will be important to have a steady backup for LeSean McCoy who has seen injuries stymie his play time the past few seasons.
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For the New England Patriots, it means that it is very unlikely that LeGarrette Blount will return to the team. Gillislee fulfills a similar role on offense but also adds special teams versatility. Now that the Patriots are full at the running back position with Gillislee, Dion Lewis, Rex Burkhead and James White, it will be interesting to see how the pecking order shakes out for carries.