Help Me Understand...Reggie Gilliam's Role

[Wizard]

I get the general gist of the FB position. However, I only played HS football on the defensive side and don't understand much about offensive line play, formations or schemes.

 

I just wonder what he does so well that warrants a roster spot. I understand some teams like to "ground and pound" and a guy that is an excellent blocker, opens running lanes, and a guy that catches a few passes and handles short yardage carries as a power back makes sense for some teams.

 

Gilliam does not seem to do that or the Bills offense. For those who understand Brady's style as an OC and the type of offense we run, does Gilliam become more valuable or remain an anonymous and somewhat puzzling roster spot?

 

 

 

 

[MJS]

He occasionally contributes on offense, but he is a core special teamer as well.

[Rocky Landing]

Reggie Gilliam does several things pretty well, which makes him valuable in terms of his versatility. He blocks well, both in the run game, and pass pro, he is often used as a blocking TE (and was even designated as a TE for at least a season iirc), he's a reliable check down option, and most importantly, he's an exceptional special teams player. The Bills have had other players on ST who were basically ST-only. Taiwan Jones, Matakevich, Siran Neal, to name a few. These players were considered elite ST players (especially Taiwan Jones), but rarely saw the field otherwise, except in a pinch, or in garbage time. Gilliam is every bit as good on ST as those players, but he is also useful on offense, and gets plenty of snaps. 

 

Considering how shallow the Bills are at several positions, the idea of having ST-only players on the roster has probably fallen down the priority list. If Joe Brady decides he doesn't want the luxury of a FB, then maybe this is the year they cut him... but I doubt it.

[Big Blitz]

Offensively it’s the 21 personnel look for us - mostly him.  

 

Which we were in 48 total times in 2023

 

And 22 we were in 17 times.  

 

https://sumersports.com/teams/offensive/personnel-tendency/?personnel=21

Edited May 15 by Big Blitz

[GASabresIUFan]

Special teams

[BillsFanForever19]

*sigh*

 

We do this every year. This time we seem to have gotten a jump on it. Usually this thread gets made around the 53 cutdown date when there's some plucky UDFA or Futures underdog that the fanbase has fallen in love with and wants to find a way to squeeze them on the roster.

 

He's an important Special Teamer, serves as an extra blocker on the field, while also providing the occasional catch out of the Backfield, and has positional versatility as an extra TE. Allowing us to keep only 3 on the 53, when we kept 4 on the 53 before he was here.

 

He provides all of this for a meager salary. He's loved by the team and loved by the coaches. He's even more important this year after walking away from a number of core Special Teamers. His spot on the 53 is safe.

Edited May 15 by BillsFanForever19

[BullBuchanan]

23 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

*sigh*

 

We do this every year. This time we seem to have gotten a jump on it. Usually this thread gets made around the 53 cutdown date when there's some plucky UDFA or Futures underdog that the fanbase has fallen in love with and wants to find a way to squeeze them on the roster.

 

He's an important Special Teamer, serves as an extra blocker on the field, while also providing the occasional catch out of the Backfield, and has positional versatility as an extra TE. Allowing us to keep only 3 on the 53, when we kept 4 on the 53 before he was here.

 

He provides all of this for a meager salary. He's loved by the team and loved by the coaches. He's even more important this year after walking away from a number of core Special Teamers. His spot on the 53 is safe.

You've clearly never played Madden.

[GolfandBills]

Core sp teamer plays all 4 and is a good fullback when they want to go that option.  He’s a good player to have on the roster. 

Edited May 15 by GolfandBills

[Doc Brown]

He's a people person.  He does all the special teams and dirty work so our premium Tight Ends don't have to.

[GreggTX]

This will probably surprise you, but he's one of the best FB's in the NFL. The 49'ers Juszcyk is in a class all his own though and it's not even close.

[Pete]

Reggie is a swiss army knife.  Reggie was on the field for over 450 plays, and is a great athlete, and a key contributer, who is underappreciated by most

[GunnerBill]

Really good special teams player and has a role on offense which is often about allowing the Bills to dictate match ups. They particularly like 21 personnel against the Chiefs actually - he averages 19% of the offensive snaps in the last 6 games vs KC. The Bills like that look 'cos it tends to keep Spags in base and stops him doing some of the really exotic stuff and they have always fancied themselves making plays on the Chiefs linebackers in coverage. 

[CSBill]

He is a valuable player. As said above, he's a "Swiss army knife." A key player on special teams, he is a fullback and a good blocker. He can catch the ball out of the backfield and occasionally fills in as a TE to block and receive the ball. Having players who can fill in at multiple positions is a great value to NFL teams.

 

Read the thread. You can now sleep better without worrying about what RG brings to the team. ... You're Welcome.

 

[strive_for_five_guy]

3 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

He's a people person.  He does all the special teams and dirty work so our premium Tight Ends don't have to.

[Sweats]

 

I envision his role as something like this.

[BuffaloBillyG]

Gilliam hardly ever shows up in the box score. And typically it can be weeks before an announcer says his name during a game. He's never helped my fantasy football team and is not on the field much when I play Madden. Because of this a chunk of fans every year say he's easily expendable. He is not.

 

For his low salary he fills several roles on the team on both offense and special teams. It may sound like coach speak but every team needs a few guys like this that are just grinding away and doing the dirty work. And he's very good at what he does by most accounts. 

[Wizard]

The information on personnel groupings was helpful as to his role within the offense. Maybe like an offensive lineman, not hearing about him is a good thing and makes him valuable.

 

Hopefully he can kick on Special Teams if Bass can't get his game right.

[Tenhigh]

He does all this plus he has compromising pictures of Beane at Peppermints.

[4thandGoal]

He dates Pegula's daughter.... oooops--that was someone else--- but hey--you never know

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

9 hours ago, Wizard said:

I get the general gist of the FB position. However, I only played HS football on the defensive side and don't understand much about offensive line play, formations or schemes.

 

I just wonder what he does so well that warrants a roster spot. I understand some teams like to "ground and pound" and a guy that is an excellent blocker, opens running lanes, and a guy that catches a few passes and handles short yardage carries as a power back makes sense for some teams.

 

Gilliam does not seem to do that or the Bills offense. For those who understand Brady's style as an OC and the type of offense we run, does Gilliam become more valuable or remain an anonymous and somewhat puzzling roster spot?

 

 

 

 

 

He lead the team with 365 special teams snaps.  Next two were Matakevich (special teams captain) and Neal - who are gone.  

 

I expect buffalo to keep 4 backs, 1 to be inactive (probably johnson unless he is made a primary returner), and Gilliam to be active for special teams.  He plays FB which... you probably use fullback formations 5x per game maybe?  Probably more when you factor in some of the crappy weather games we've had in recent years.  He's also played TE before so you have him there at emergency depth. 

 

3rd string and 4th string players don't play anywhere but special teams, and he's pretty good at it from what I remember.  Keeping a 7th WR to be inactive in lieu of a special teams ace doesn't make sense in the scheme of constructing a football roster.