Stephon Gilmore, the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year and two-time All-Pro, might rejoin the New England Patriots. The five-time Pro Bowler, who played for the Dallas Cowboys in 2023, is still unsigned as he searches for the ideal fit. The former Super Bowl winner is not the athlete he once was, but in his one and only season with Dallas, he was a productive starter. He ended the season with a respectable 71.2 PFF rating, which placed him 35th out of 127 eligible players.
The Carolina Panthers seemed to be the front-runners for Gilmore earlier in the summer. But the two parties were unable to agree on a transaction, therefore the Kansas City Chiefs were the most likely destination. However, Stephon Gilmore has stated he would be open to rejoining his former squad during Tom Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
“You never know what might happen [to the Patriots].” I will consider my choices. I played excellent ball here, so I’ll just let things unfold as they will.
Patriots Enter The Stephon Gilmore Free Agent Sweepstakes Along With Chiefs And Panthers
The Patriots need Stephon Gilmore at the position, and they have the funds to sign him. With $45.6 million in cap space as of this posting, New England leads the league and would need very little to get Gilmore back home. Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots’ first-round pick in 2023, is a possible lockdown cornerback, but the rest of the roster needs some support. In order to minimise yardage, head coach Jerod Mayo should implement a man-heavy defensive system. Reliable cornerbacks are also necessary. Gilmore might be the ideal addition for a club that, in 2024, would most likely need to win games by defence.
Naturally, Stephon Gilmore might not be desired by the Patriots. The cornerback is too old to address their long-term problems, even though he would be a decent temporary solution. As they go on a rebuild, New England may choose to give their young players more playing time to see what they can accomplish. Should that be the case, the two teams that are most likely to pursue the former Defensive Player of the Year are still Kansas City and Carolina.
Who Is Going to Sign Gilmore?
Although the Panthers had the best chance of landing Stephon Gilmore, they might not have the funds to complete the transaction. Carolina only has $6 million in available cap space—the second-lowest amount in the league—despite having a comparatively unimpressive squad. At this stage of his career, Gilmore wants to sign with a winning team, and the Panthers in 2024 won’t provide him that chance. If Carolina wants to keep his deal within the salary cap, they will have to find a creative way to compensate him. Maybe a huge pay increase will convince him to ignore the lacklustre squad talent.
The Chiefs are able to give Stephon Gilmore a realistic chance to win a Super Bowl, in contrast to the Patriots and Panthers. Someone needs to take Trent McDuffie’s place as the opposing lockdown cornerback now that L’Jarius Sneed is a Titan. While Joshua Williams might be up to the task, it wouldn’t hurt to have a seasoned veteran like Gilmore on board.
Be the first to comment