Gillislee doesn’t have a $3.5 dead cap hit if traded. He has zero signing bonus, there’s nothing to accelerate from future years. The $3.5mm you are referring to was the dead cap hit if he was cut before June 1st. It consisted of $2mm from a roster bonus and $1.5mm because his base salary is guaranteed. If he’s traded,the Pats don’t have to pick up the base salary. So trading Gillislee is $2mm of “dead” money, but its just a roster bonus that’s on this years cap if he stays or goes. His contract is actually trade friendly as trading him frees up modest cap space immediately from saved salary and LBTE game day active bonuses and there is no hit to next years cap.Gillislee has a $3.5 dead cap hit this year. He salary actually goes down next year as it was 2-year front-loaded salary.
Gillislee is a 26-year old back that averaged 5.7 yards/carry as recently as last year (and the year before that too). Blount is enjoying a bit of a revival but Eagles aren't trading for Ajayi if they thought Blount was the answer.
Gillislee is not going anywhere and most likely neither Lewis nor Burkhead.