NFL Trade Rumors: 3 teams interested in signing former DPOY Stephon Gilmore
Former Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore has had a lot of teams interested in him this off-season, as he entered free agency as one of the top cornerbacks. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the cornerback has interest from the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and Philadelphia Eagles.
Report: #Bills, #Chiefs and #Eagles interested in signing CB Stephon Gilmore, per @JFowlerESPN
Fowler went on to say that each of these three teams appear to have interest in Gilmore, but there's nothing really cooking right now.
Fowler said:
"Kansas City Chiefs have done their homework on him; there’s interest there. Philadelphia Eagles need a starting corner; there’s belief to be interest on him around the league with the Eagles. There’s some other wild-card teams. Buffalo Bills, they’ve been looking at some starting cornerback help. He played there as a rookie; maybe there’s a reunion in the works potentially. But nothing really cooking right now. He’s also like [Tyrann Mathieu]—willing to take his time if he has to.”
Gilmore could join Buffalo for a reunion after losing their other starting cornerback in Levi Wallace to the Steelers this off-season. The Eagles could pair starting corner Darius Slay with Gilmore as a solid one-two duo. Kansas City could add Gilmore to their weak secondary that will most likely lose Tyrann Mathieu this off-season.
Stephon Gilmore won DPOY in 2019 with the New England Patriots
Gilmore had an unforgettable 2019 season. During that season, Gilmore finished the season with 53 tackles, 20 passes defended, and a league-leading six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. He was awarded the AP Defensive Player of the Year award in recognition of his successful season. He was the first member of the New England Patriots to win the award and was the first cornerback since Charles Woodson in 2009 to win the award.
Gilmore wasn't able to replicate the same success the following season. In 2020, he finished the season with 37 tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception through 11 games and starts.
The next season, in 2021, Gilmore was traded to the Carolina Panthers on October 6, 2021, in exchange for a sixth-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft.
Patriots traded Stephon Gilmore to the Panthers for a 2023 sixth-round pick.
In his lone season with Carolina, he played in eight games and recorded 16 tackles, two pass deflections, and two interceptions. While giving up a sixth-round pick for him, Carolina has elected not to re-sign Gilmore, and he likely won't be a part of the Panthers next season.
At the age of 31 and entering his 11th season in the league, Gilmore will bring veteran leadership and is still a solid starting corner.