This might be a case of perfect timing for both the Buffalo Bills and Jackson Acker.
After losing longtime fullback Reggie Gilliam, who left for the New England Patriots in free agency, the Bills may have found a plug-and-play starter to replace him with undrafted free agent Jackson Acker — a Gilliam clone if 1 ever existed.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes Acker, a Wisconsin product, could not only make the 53-man roster for the Bills but play a large role in the offense as soon as their Week 1 game against the Houston Texans.
“Yes, the NFL still has fullbacks — at least a few,” Davenport wrote on July 23. “James Cook had a career year for the Bills in 2025, leading the league with 1,621 rushing yards. Some of the credit for that massive season belongs to Reggie Gilliam, who was Cook’s lead blocker. But Gilliam joined the rival Patriots in free agency, creating a hole at fullback the Bills addressed by signing Wisconsin’s Jackson Acker after the draft. As things stand, the only other fullback in Buffalo is converted linebacker Ben VanSumeren, who has limited offensive potential but is a special teams ace. Acker will also have to show he can play well on special teams, but if the 6’1″ 247-pounder can pull that off, he could do more than just make the roster. He could even be Buffalo’s Week 1 starter at fullback.”
It’s a long shot for the Bills to try and put VanSumeren in the backfield — he spent the last few years as a linebacker for the Eagles. He’s also coming off a torn ACL suffered on the 1st kickoff of the 2025 regular season.
“Production never told the full story for Acker, but his late-season usage showed why the Buffalo Bills added him to their UDFA list,” Badgers Wire’s Ryan Harings wrote in April. “He finished the year with 55 rushing yards and eight catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. He also delivered in conversion situations, carrying six times on third down and twice on fourth down and turning every attempt into a first down.”
Similarities Abound Between Acker and Gillam
Starting with size, there are a lot of similarities between Acker and Gilliam — Acker is 6-foot-1 and 247 pounds while Gillam is 6-foot-1 and 255 pounds.
Both Acker and Gillam also entered the NFL as undrafted free agents, with Gilliam making the move after earning All-MAC honors at Toledo in 2019.
Gillam also put up some impressive numbers at Wisconsin’s Pro Day, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.69 seconds and busted out 20 reps in the 225-pound bench press.
“Acker’s final year with the Badgers was another one spent toiling mostly in anonymity, as he was used mostly as a lead blocker for a three-headed rushing attack,” Buffalo Rumblings’ Sean Murphy wrote on July 8. “He did carry 15 times for 55 yards — both totals were equal to the second-most for a single season in his NCAA career — including eight carries on third or fourth down. He converted all eight of those attempts into first downs. Acker also added eight catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.”
Jackson Acker Buzz Began Right After Signing
The buzz about Acker making the 53-man roster began quickly after he signed with the Bills in April, when he received a contract that included just $17,000 in guaranteed money.
“With the Bills signing Acker, he should eventually become the replacement for Reggie Gilliam, who left the Bills to sign with the New England Patriots in free agency,” Buffalo Lowdown’s Brandon Ray wrote in April. “Gilliam was the one who was doing the dirty work in Buffalo’s rushing attack that was the best one last season. James Cook led the league in rushing and a big reason why was because of Gilliam opening up the running lanes.”
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