Tuesday 25 April 2017 16:58, UK
New England have signed Buffalo running back Mike Gillislee after the Bills opted against matching the Patriots' two-year offer.
Despite adding Rex Burkhead from Cincinnati to an RB corps already comprising James White and Dion Lewis, the Patriots have moved for the 26-year-old in a deal which is likely to mean no return to Foxboro for LeGarrette Blount.
The Patriots made the surprise two-year offer to Gillislee last week and on Monday the Bills confirmed they would not be matching the two-year $6.4m deal from the Super Bowl winners.
Gillislee spent last season as the primary back-up to LeSean McCoy in Buffalo, rushing for 577 yards and eight touchdowns and he is likely to replace Blount who ended last season with 19 touchdowns, 18 in the regular season.
As a restricted free agent, Gillislee was a fifth-round tender so the Bills have picked up the Patriots fifth-round pick in Thursday's Draft (No 163 overall).
Blount is a free agent, having come to the end of his contract, and the Patriots look to have ended any hopes the 30-year-old had of returning for another season at Gillette Stadium.
NFL Insider Ian Rapoport has suggested Blount and the New York Giants have a 'mutual interest' and with Gillislee now on board at the Patriots and Adrian Peterson signing for New Orleans, Blount is running out of options.
You can follow all the NFL Draft action on Sky Sports with Days 1 & 2 live on Sky Sports 2 from 1am on Friday morning and midnight on Friday night while Day 3 will be streamed live from 5pm via Sky Sports Xtra on www.skysports.com/nfl and our Sky Sports apps on your mobile devices
