With an ex-star signing, a hated NFC rival could “stick it” to the Cowboys.
That C
owboys CB Stephon Gilmore is still unsigned four weeks after NFL free agency opened is a pretty big surprise. Few defensive backs have a better record than Gilmore, who has won Defensive Player of the Year, been selected to two first teams All-Pro, appeared in five Pro Bowls, and received a Super Bowl ring.
After 12 years in the NFL, 33-year-old Gilmore has sustained wear and tear, including a shoulder ailment that he attempted to play through back in January. After that, he underwent shoulder surgery, but he should be recovered in time for the 2024 season to begin.
Gilmore has demonstrated that he is still a shutdown corner in spite of all of things. When balls were thrown his way, he gave up the highest passer rating of his career—82.7—but it’s still a respectable figure for a starting corner. The Cowboys gave up the ninth-best passer rating in the NFL as a club, 84.3.
Gilmore, though, is still a free agent. But according to Bleacher Report, things will soon change—and not in a good way for the Cowboys, as Gilmore will be joining the bitter rival Eagles of the NFC East.
Stephon Gilmore Might Assist 49ers, Eagles
One of the main advantages for the Eagles was, according to writer Matt Holder, signing Gilmore as a jab at the Cowboys. According to him, the Eagles view the signing as follows:
As if there isn’t already enough drama in the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry! Aside from defying their division opponents, Darius Slay’s injury and James Bradberry’s decline made cornerback a vulnerable position for the Eagles in 2018.
“Although adding Gilmore won’t make the position group any younger, it would give Philadelphia another experienced option in the event that Bradberry doesn’t regain his 2022 form or Slay struggles to stay healthy once more.”
If Gilmore could find a spot on one of the numerous AFC teams that are in need of a cornerback, that would be perfect. The Raiders would be perfect since they don’t play the Cowboys in 2024 and could use Gilmore.
Though Gilmore might pursue the Super Bowl ring he was unable to obtain in Dallas, Holder’s other prospective landing team is the 49ers, who are merely marginally better offensive than the Eagles.
Cowboys Select Their Opening CBs
Fans and coaches in Dallas would undoubtedly welcome Gilmore back, but it doesn’t seem like the Cowboys have any intentions to do so. Though the team could definitely use some depth at the position, third-year corner Daron Bland’s breakthrough season and Trevon Diggs’s approaching comeback from an ACL injury are expected to occupy the starting spots at the corners in Dallas.
Gilmore will be a great deal for the team that chooses to sign him.
He recently received a two-year contract worth $20 million, which was first signed by the Colts in 2022. On a one-year contract, Spotrac estimates his market worth to be $11.4 million.
That does make some sense considering his age. A $10 million, one-year contract for Gilmore is projected by Pro Football Focus. The website summed up his qualifications as a free agent:
“Gilmore returned to playing competitive football this summer after being traded by the Indianapolis Colts to the Dallas Cowboys, and in the few years that he has been around, he hasn’t missed a beat. Gilmore is still quite effective in single coverage and has the physicality to compete with receivers who play through contact. He can jump routes with top-end play recognition and time his leap well on contested catches.
“Gilmore returned to playing competitive football this summer after being traded by the Indianapolis Colts to the Dallas Cowboys, and in the few years that he has been around, he hasn’t missed a beat. Gilmore is still quite effective in single coverage and has the physicality to compete with receivers who play through contact. He can jump routes with top-end play recognition and time his leap well on contested catches.
