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Reggie Gilliam #41 of the Buffalo Bills warms up prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Tampa, Florida.

The Buffalo Bills parted ways with longtime fullback Reggie Gilliam this offseason, but may have just found his replacement after the NFL draft.

The Bills released Gilliam as part of a series of roster moves meant to generate cap space, leaving the team without a fullback for the first time in years. While the Bills are transitioning to a new approach after the firing of head coach Sean McDermott, it appears that the team could still carry a fullback after signing a former college standout.

NFL reporter Aaron Wilson shared that the Bills signed Wisconsin fullback Jackson Acker as an undrafted free agent. The move gives the Bills a new fullback, and one who is familiar with a key member of the team’s coaching staff.

Bills Fill Fullback Vacancy in Free Agency

As Ralph Ventre of SI.com noted, Acker has ties to new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.

“With Reggie Gilliam leaving for the New England Patriots in free agency, the Bills’ roster was without a fullback until signing Acker. He played 50 games for Wisconsin since 2021,” Ventre wrote. “It’s worth noting that Buffalo’s new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard was Wisconsin’s interim head coach when Acker became a starter in 2022.”

Acker had played several positions at Wisconsin, first joining the team as a tailback before converting to fullback and then moving back again to tailback. He finished his final season at tight end. Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes said the moves show that Acker was ready to fit into an NFL offense.

“I think it depends on your personnel, what those guys do best,” Grimes said of his team’s offense, via Badger Notes. “I would say we’re an NFL-style offense—we will play like most NFL teams do.

“If you watch Sunday football, we will look more like that than most college teams. That means a variety in terms of personnel groups, a variety in formations, a lot of presentation pre-snap shift and motion.”

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell also praised Acker’s leadership.

“If there’s a guy that I think in the last two years that has grown in my mind an incredible amount, it’s him, and it’s not just as a football player,” Fickell said. “I just mean as a leader, a guy with the toughness side of things.”​

Bills Have Vacancies on Offense and Special Teams

Acker could have more than one opportunity to earn a spot on the 53-man roster with the Bills. Gilliam not only played an important role on offense as a lead blocker for running back James Cook, but was also a regular on special teams. If Acker can prove himself on both units, he could have a strong chance to replace the popular Gilliam.

The Bills have not yet signed another fullback this offseason, which would give Acker a chance to audition for the role starting with the team’s upcoming rookie minicamp. The team has regularly kept undrafted free agents on the final roster, including some who grew into core starters in the years that followed.