Stephon Gilmore remains on the open market as he seeks out a new deal. The former Defensive Player of the Year recently spoke about his lengthy free agent process, noting that he is eyeing an ideal fit with his next team. 
“I’m still focused on playing, but it has to be the right opportunity,” Gilmore told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports. “I feel like it’s the age thing with some of these teams. If I was 28, I would already have been signed by now; at the same time, I know the value I still bring. If you watch the tape, I feel like I played well the last two years, and literally almost played every snap last year. So I’m staying patient.”
Indeed, Gilmore has logged over 1,000 defensive snaps in each of the past two seasons. That stretch includes his one-and-done campaign with the Colts, followed by his time with the Cowboys last year. The five-time Pro Bowler stated a desire to re-sign with Dallas earlier this offseason, but nothing has happened on that front. Gilmore has frequently been linked to a return to Carolina, where he played in 2021.
A report from Monday indicated the Panthers are not close to an agreement with the 33-year-old, however. As a result, Gilmore remains available to any teams eyeing experience in the secondary. The former first-rounder was limited to nine games in his Carolina campaign, but he has missed just one contest since. Remaining a full-time starter over the past two years, he has totaled four interceptions and 24 pass breakups and could therefore be a productive contributor on a number of teams.
Around the NFL, teams are finalizing their rookie classes in anticipation of minicamps. Signing draft picks to their respective contracts will use up some of each team’s available cap space, but several potential suitors could comfortably afford a short-term Gilmore deal. It will be interesting to see what his asking price sits at, and the interest which is generated in the coming weeks with respect to teams being willing to meet it.
“I’m still focused on playing, but it has to be the right opportunity.” Translation: “No team has met my asking price.”
Either that or “Someone better than Carolina please come get me.”
Not a chance. If Carolina matched his number he would have signed by now. It’s way too late in free agency to be choosy. He doesn’t like Carolina’s dollar offer.
Not if he’s more interested in playing for a team with half a chance of making the playoffs.
Lions should be all in on him; but maybe his price is crazy right now
Feels like they wouldn’t have brought in Davis and then drafted Arnold and Rakestraw if they were interested in Gilmore.
Like last year, the Lions will likely play a lot of zone coverage, and Gilmore struggles in zone, so unfortunately I don’t see it as a fit.
It seems like they played more zone out of necessity and they’re trying to change that. Arnold was probably the best pure man corner in the draft.
The Lions played Zone because the corners sucked. Aaron Glenn prefers to run a bump-and-run type of D so that Gilmore would be a great fit. With his brother on the team, I thought it would be a done deal. He must have a high number that the Lions are waiting to see if it will come down.
After all the guys they’ve already brought in?