The subject of trade rumors at multiple junctures over the past year, Stephon Gilmore remains tied to the Patriots contract he signed in 2017. A resolution will need to take place fairly soon, with training camp beginning in less than a month and the former Defensive Player of the Year set to earn just $7MM in base salary.
Nothing has emerged indicating Gilmore and the Pats have made progress on another deal. While stalemates often lead to exits, this situation is not expected to produce a trade. During this months-long issue, the All-Pro cornerback has not expected to be dealt, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com noted during a SportsCenter appearance (h/t Bleacher Report). The most recent Gilmore trade rumors surfaced in March, but the Patriots’ moves since point to them planning for their No. 1 corner to be around in 2021.
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New England deviated from its usual free agency pattern by acquiring several high-priced veterans. Adding the likes of Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Matt Judon, Kyle Van Noy and Trent Brown (via trade) illustrates the Pats’ plans for the 2021 season fairly well, and Gilmore has taken notice the team did not make a major cornerback addition, per Fowler. The Pats did sign Jalen Mills and have moved him back to corner from the safety role he played in 2020. But Gilmore should still be expected to head up New England’s coverage corps. New England did not draft a corner.
Although Gilmore did not reach his dominant 2019 level in 2020 — an 11-game season for the nine-year veteran — and will be 31 this season, he represents a key piece for the Pats’ playoff chances. The contract issue is not going away, however. Gilmore skipped minicamp and recently made reference to the cornerback salary landscape — in a since-deleted tweet, via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss.
Gilmore’s average annual value is no longer especially relevant, since he is in Year 5 of a five-year contract, but the new cornerback market certainly will pertain to his next deal. And the four-time Pro Bowler has certainly noticed several less accomplished players pass him in recent years. Gilmore’s $13MM AAV ranks tied for 13th among corners. His camp having pointed to Darius Slay‘s three-year, $50MM deal as a comparable contract suggests he is willing to be flexible with the Pats, with Slay’s $16.7MM AAV off the Jalen Ramsey–Marlon Humphrey top tier.
As Jason McCourty‘s recent run shows, the Pats are willing to deploy thirtysomething corners. It remains to be seen if they will pay big money for Gilmore’s early-30s seasons, however.
Show up and play to what you signed for.
Sooo…. You believe that teams should not be permitted to cut players and employees should never be permitted to ask for raises, right?
It’s not that I don’t agree he could ask for more. It’s that at the end of a contract that you signed knowing the final year was that total, it seems silly the grouse about.
Play it out, move on to your next team. Maybe he only gets 10-12M per year but I don’t know that his alternative is better either.
What is interesting is teams know he isn’t being paid a whole lot this season and still aren’t wanting to pay out for him. Maybe teams think he has finally fallen off.
The Pats recognized he was underpaid last season and moved some 2021 money into 2020 to give him what he’s worth. That ultimately leaves his 2021 money short. The problem now is to give home a raise in 2021 his cap number would be ridiculous despite the cash paid being would be what it should be for a player like Gilmore. The only way to stay on the Patriots, have a doable cap number, and pay him a rate that he’s earned is an extension. That my friends is the tipping point. While the Patriots wouldn’t have a problem paying market this season, how much do they want to gamble 2-3 years from now (the length needed to keep the cap number for 2021 manageable) is the question. If they feel he’s worth is they may need to draw up a contract with voidable years as they did McCourty to spread out the money. That comes with risk as well…