Patriots: 3 best Stephon Gilmore trade partners as 2021 season approaches

For all of the slings and arrows Jon Gruden has taken with the Raiders, he’s improved the team in each of the last three seasons while proving that he is one of the best offensive play-callers and instructors in the game. Still, Vegas has missed the playoffs in three straight years, and the defense is to blame.

The Raiders have changed coordinators and spent big money on that side of the ball, but nothing has seemed to really fix that with any degree of staying power. If they are able to pull off a trade for Gilmore, however, the Raiders might be able to finally solve their issues in the secondary.

The Raiders could use Patriots DB Stephon Gilmore on defense.

The projected starters at cornerback are the consistently inconsistent Trayvon Mullen, a second-year question mark that was overdrafted in Damon Arnette, and Amik Robertson, with a wild card in Casey Hayward also in the mix. Gilmore instantly becomes not only the best DB, but the best player on that whole defense.

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will rule the roost for years to come, but the Broncos remaining active on the trade market and the Chargers building around Justin Herbert should be the big blinking light that tells Mike Mayock he needs to pull off some trades here and there to stay competitive. Gilmore would certainly suffice.