Written by Henry McKenna at Patriots Wire.
The New England Patriots have placed an offer sheet on Buffalo Bills running back Mike Gillislee, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. The Patriots have offered him a two-year deal worth $6.4 million.
The Bills have a fifth-round tender on Gillislee. If Buffalo chooses not to match, the Patriots will have to forfeit their first-round pick for the 2017 draft.
Here we go: #Patriots extended an RFA offer sheet to #Bills RB Mike Gillislee. It’s for 2 years, $6.4M, source said. $4M in the 1st year.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 18, 2017
As @RapSheet reported, Patriots extend offer sheet to Bills restricted FA RB Mike Gillislee. If Bills don’t match, Pats give up 5th-rounder.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) April 18, 2017
Gillislee can decided whether he wants to sign the offer sheet. If he decides to do so, the Bills will have five days to match. However, New England has put $4 million in the first year, likely with the intent of making the offer harder for the Bills to match, as the Bills will be short on cap space after adding their draft class.
Gillislee spent the 2016 season backing up LeSean McCoy, who dealt with a number of injuries. As a result, Gillislee got 101 carries for 577 yards and eight touchdown rushes. He also had 11 receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown reception.
In 2016, he never carried the ball more than 15 times for 40 yards and a touchdown. The next highest workload in his career was a 24-carry performance in 2015 when he rushed for just 28 yards. One of Gillislee’s best performances of his career came against the Patriots when he had 12 carries for 85 yards and one touchdown.
To continue reading this article, click here.
