The Buffalo Bills’ first AFC East test of the season comes with a familiar twist: a Patriots roster packed with former Bills is coming back to Orchard Park.
Buffalo is 3-0 after opening the year with three straight wins, while New England enters Week 4 at 1-2 after what the source describes as a disaster in Jacksonville. The Bills didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard against the Chargers, but their defense carried the day and kept the unbeaten start intact. Now they get their first divisional game of the season, and the Patriots are in position to try to spoil the party just like they did last year, when they snapped Buffalo’s 4-0 start with a Sunday night win in primetime.
This time around, New England could have five former Bills involved in the rematch, including three who were in Buffalo last season.
Reggie Gilliam is one of the biggest names on that list for Bills fans. The fullback spent the last six seasons in Buffalo and became a favorite for the way he did the little things: grinding, blocking, and helping spring James Cook over the past two seasons.
He also played a role in the “shove” plays that helped push Josh Allen across the line for first downs and touchdowns. Gilliam left on a three-year deal with New England and now finds himself tasked with helping protect Drake Maye and creating room for Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henders.
Mack Hollins also makes the trip back. In his lone season with the Bills, he scored five touchdowns in 2024 and earned plenty of appreciation for his work as a blocker on the perimeter.
Buffalo fans were not happy when the team let him walk in free agency last offseason, and they were even less thrilled when he signed a two-year deal with the Patriots. Hollins caught just four passes for 41 yards against Buffalo last year, and with New England thin at receiver, he may be asked to function as Drake Maye’s top option.
DaQuan Jones is another familiar face. He spent four seasons in Buffalo and gave the Bills steady help against the run up front.
He was never the headline player, but he was dependable in the trenches. Jones had a visit with the Patriots in August, then signed a one-year deal worth up to $6 million just a few weeks ago, according to Ian Rapoport.
The Patriots also have Mitch Wishnowsky, who briefly handled punting duties for Buffalo last season when injuries hit the position. The Bills brought him back on a one-year deal in free agency, but rookie punter Tommy Doman Jr. beat him out for the job. After Buffalo released him, New England picked him up.
Greg Van Roten rounds out the group, though he won’t be on the field for this one. The Bills had him on the roster in 2022, when he started only a handful of games, and ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported that the Patriots placed him on injured reserve. That means he will miss the matchup in Buffalo.
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The timing matters because Buffalo is already operating in a division where rivals are dealing with their own pressure points, whether it is Miami trying to steady a 0-3 start through injuries or New England navigating questions around Drake Mayes health. For the Bills, Cooks situation adds another layer to the roster-building puzzle, since the longer he remains productive without a new deal, the harder it gets to avoid the conversation about whether Buffalo can keep its core intact and on the same timeline. [Read more 🡒]