Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - My 2025 State of the Buffalo Bills series continues with a look at the running backs and fullbacks:
Under contract:
- James Cook
- Ray Davis
- Frank Gore, Jr.
Pending free agents:
- Ty Johnson (UFA)
- Reggie Gilliam (FB) (UFA)
State of the position:
James Cook had a tremendous third season, rushing for 1,009 yards and tying a 49-year-old franchise record with 16 rushing touchdowns. He has established himself as one of the top all-purpose backs in the league, accounting for an additional 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns receiving.
The 25-year old's trajectory is continually on the rise, but since he’s now completed his third season, he’s eligible for a contract extension. The Bills will have to decide if they want to go down that road this offseason.
If so, how much money will that cost? If the two sides don’t agree to an extension, Cook will enter the fourth and final year of his rookie contract in 2025.
Ray Davis was a nice find as a fourth-round draft pick out of Kentucky. He provided a different type of element to the Bills' running game and was a complement to Cook.
Davis finished the year with 631 yards from scrimmage, while also serving as one of the team's primary kick returners.
Heading into his second year, Davis is already 25-years-old. In fact, he’s just six weeks younger than Cook. However, h has three years left on his rookie deal.
Ty Johnson proved to be one of the most valuable third down backs in the entire league this season. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady really leaned on him in important situations.
Johnson finished the year with 213 yards rushing, but a 5.2 yards per-carry average, while adding another 284 receiving yards, including five catches for 114 yards in a big Week 15 win over the Detroit Lions.
After signing a second one-year deal last March with the Bills, Johnson will, once again, be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Based on the value he provided the second-highest scoring offense in the NFL, albeit in a limited role, there could be a few teams interested in him, maybe even for an expanded role.
The Bills would certainly love to have him back, as well. It will be interesting to see if he has a market.
Frank Gore, Jr. showed some really nice attributes during training camp and preseason after signing with the club as an undrafted free agent. He was released at the end of camp, and then signed to the practice squad, where he stayed all season.
He was elevated for the Bills’ Week 6 game against the New York Jets, but did not see any action.
Gore signed a reserve/futures contract to return to the Bills in 2025, and compete for a roster spot in Year 2 in the league.
After joining the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2020, Reggie Gilliam is now set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.
Gilliam has been a very valuable special teams player over his five seasons, including leading the entire team by playing 74% of special teams snaps this past year.
The 27-year-old was also fairly involved as a blocker in Brady’s offense, on the field for over 15% of the offensive snaps in eight of the team’s last nine games, including the playoffs.
NFL teams are starting to use fullbacks a bit more again, so there could be some interest in Gilliam. That said, if the Bills want to have him back (and my guess is they do), it shouldn’t be tough to get done.
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