Buffalo’s rushing game has been built to keep rolling, and the Bills may have already found the player who can help preserve that rhythm.
James Cook has been the engine. Since becoming the starter in 2023, he has put together three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons, and last season he finished atop the league with 1,621 yards.
But Cook’s production hasn’t happened in a vacuum. The Bills’ offensive line has done its part, and so has Reggie Gilliam, the fullback who helped carve out space in front of him.
Now Gilliam is gone after six seasons in Buffalo, having joined the New England Patriots. That leaves a clear opening, and the Bills may have addressed it with an undrafted free agent who has a real shot to stick.
Jackson Acker, a fullback out of Wisconsin, is the name to watch. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report identified Acker as Buffalo’s UDFA with the best chance to make the roster.
" 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." said Davenport.
Acker’s path won’t be simple, though. Davenport noted that he’ll need to contribute on special teams, too, and if he can handle that part of the job, he could be more than just a roster candidate.
" 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." Davenport added.
That possibility makes Acker one of the more interesting names in camp. With Joe Brady calling plays since 2023, Buffalo’s run game has become a central piece of the offense, and there’s no indication it should lose steam just because Gilliam moved on.
If Acker can hold up through training camp, he has a chance to do more than fill a vacancy. He could end up opening holes for Cook from the very first week.
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