The New England Patriots might be very close to making a seismic move, as cornerback Stephon Gilmore appears to be forcing the team’s hand as he either looks for a new contract or a trade out of New England.
Gilmore hasn’t shown up at New England’s mandatory minicamp, and it seems the four-time Pro Bowler and former Defensive Player of the Year isn’t going to suit up for the Patriots unless he ends up getting a reworked deal.
The Patriots might need to immediately pivot and try to find a replacement at one of their outside cornerback spots.
Considering how this secondary has already lost Jason McCourty to the Dolphins and Patrick Chung to retirement, they aren’t exactly playing with a full deck right now in the secondary.
If he is indeed on the move, someone will have to come in and fill the void.
Look for Bill Belichick and New England to consider promoting one of these three players to the starting lineup if Gilmore leaves.
#Patriots star CB Stephon Gilmore, who wants a new contract and is rehabbing from a partially torn quad, is not present at the team’s mandatory minicamp today, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 14, 2021
*(Spelling fixed, no thanks to autocorrect)
3 likely replacements for Patriots star Stephon Gilmore.
3. Jalen Mills
Eagles fans may laugh at the idea of Mills replacing someone like Gilmore after he had such an up-and-down (well, mostly down) end to his tenure in Philadelphia. However, the Patriots clearly value what he can bring to the table, as evidenced by the fact that they gave him a multi-year contract.
Mills’ big selling point was his versatility, as he could line up at safety, inside cornerback, or outside cornerback. He might need to lose some of that value if Belichick sticks him outside for large chunks of the season without Gilmore, but he’s at least got some NFL experience at that position.
Jalen Mills might get some time at outside cornerback for the Patriots.
Second-round pick Joejuan Williams could finally get his chance to shine, but the Patriots won’t throw him out there unless they are 100% sure that he is up to the task, and he has done very little in his first two years in the league to convince the Patriots that he is worth being entrusted with a starting spot.
Mills is certainly a high-variance option given how he was all over the place in Philadelphia, but the Patriots might not have anywhere else to turn to if the main goal is to put someone with experience out on the field. Look for Mills to see an uptick in snaps if Gilmore is booted out of town.
2. Gareon Conley
Conley, currently a free agent, is a former first-round pick out of Ohio State, a team that generally has a solid history with developing NFL talent at this position. Unfortunately, in his 2.5 seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders, he never got on Jon Gruden’s good side, and that prompted a move to the Houston Texans.
Conley didn’t play in 2020 due to injury, but there is reason to believe that his NFL career is far from over. Still a quality athlete just a few years out from being drafted, Conley could start his career back up again if he makes the switch to New England.
Gareon Conley could turn things around with the Patriots.
Conley picked off four passes in 20 starts with the Raiders, and he spent the last two years in a Houston defense that made all of their defensive backs look bad. Say what you will about his prowess, but he can cause turnovers, and being able to do that will win you some brownie points with a coach like Belichick.
As good as Gilmore was in Buffalo, he was nowhere near close to the game-changer he became in New England. If Belichick can get some of Gilmore’s secret stuff to Conley, his natural ability will finally be shown off in a defense with some unity and cohesion, which could help minimize the forthcoming potential loss.
1. JC Jackson
Regardless of position, Jackson might be the most underrated player in the game. The former UDFA has already tallied 17 interceptions in his first three seasons, including an astounding nine last season, yet he has continuously been passed over when it comes to the “best cornerbacks in the league” discussion.
Jackson has played second fiddle to players like Gilmore for far too long. Without Gilmore on the roster, Jackson will get matchups on No. 1 receivers, and he can finally see just how lethal his ability to create turnovers can be.
JC Jackson could become a star for the Patriots.
Jackson may not be the best athlete in the world, but his stickiness in man coverage and ability to break for the ball have served him well so far. Make no mistake, the thought of trading Gilmore isn’t even entertained without an A+ quality backup like Jackson who could step right in after DPOY leaves.
Jackson hasn’t even been named to a Pro Bowl yet despite the fact he is picking off passes like a young Marcus Peters. Losing Gilmore will hurt in the short term, but New England couldn’t ask for a better long-term solution than Jackson.
Patriots: 3 best Stephon Gilmore trade partners as 2021 season approaches
One of these 3 teams could put together a trade package for New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore before the season starts.