Mike Gillislee went into last season as the New England Patriots’ No. 1 running back after signing a two-year, $6.4 million contract in free agency which also cost the team a fifth-round pick. However, Gillislee may very well be fighting for his job this offseason, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.

Reiss notes just how crowded the Patriots’ running back depth chart currently is. He considers first-round pick Sony Michel, as well as veterans Rex Burkhead and James White as locks to make the team. That leaves Gillislee, free-agent signing Jeremy Hill, Brandon Bolden and undrafted free agent Ralph Webb battling for the final 1-2 spots.

After a breakout year with Buffalo in 2016, Gillislee did not make much of an impact in his first year in Foxborough. He finished with just 383 rushing yards on 104 carries with five touchdowns in nine games as he was eventually supplanted by Dion Lewis midway through the season. He played in just one game past Week 8 and was a healthy scratch during the team’s entire run toward the Super Bowl.

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The Patriots won’t incur any dead money on their cap if they release Gillislee, which is also a significant factor why he’s an ideal candidate to get cut.

At his best, Gillislee is the type of physical, goal-line back that could still provide a different dimension to the Patriots' running game. But if he can't recreate the type of form that convinced the team to take a chance on him last offseason, the Pats likely won't hesitate to move on from him in favor of a cheaper option.