The Buffalo Bills have declined to match the Patriots’ offer sheet to restricted free agent RB Mike Gillislee, according to Adam Schefter.
The Bills have already confirmed the news.
This, of course, means that Gillislee is now a Patriot and will join a deep backfield in New England while the Bills collect a fifth-round pick (No. 163) for losing him.
Gillislee receives a two-year, $6.4 million offer sheet that would pay him $4 million in year one of the agreement. This opened a five-day window for the Bills to match Patriots’ offer sheet.
Just last year, the Bills lost WR Chris Hogan to the Patriots in restricted free agency. Buffalo could have prevented this by paying an extra $700,000 for the second-round tender.
This figures to be bad news for LeGarrette Blount, as New England has already paid three running backs this offseason including Gillislee, Rex Burkhead, and James White.
Gillislee, 26, was a fifth-round pick of the Dolphins in the 2013 NFL Draft. He spent just over two years in Miami before he was among their roster cuts at the start of the regular season.
After a brief stint with the Cardinals, the Bills signed him to their practice squad during the 2015 season and brought him back on a one-year deal.
In 2016, Gillislee appeared in 15 games and rushed for 577 yards on 101 carries (5.7 YPC) to go along with nine receptions for 50 yards receiving and nine total touchdowns. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 14 running back out of 62 qualifying players.
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