Patriots: What’s the limit on Stephon Gilmore’s contract number?
By Jerry Trotta
During what should be the quiet period of the NFL offseason while teams gear up for training camp, the New England Patriots are stealing some big headlines.
While the impending quarterback competition between Cam Newton and Mac Jones is mouthwatering, we’re referencing Stephon Gilmore’s ongoing holdout here.
As we know, Gilmore, disgruntled with the current terms of his contract, which is set to pay him just $7 million in 2021, didn’t report to mandatory minicamp.
All signs point to Gilmore sitting out of training camp, which will get underway in just three weeks’ time, if negotiations extend that far.
Well, we’ve heard nothing to suggest the Patriots are nearing an agreement with their star cornerback, and fans are starting to get antsy.
That got us thinking: how far will New England go to satisfy Gilmore?
This seems like the kind of deal the Patriots would let someone else give a 30 year old. I really feel like a stopgap deal is coming: a raise or a 1-year extension. https://t.co/o4MNTt6Gix
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) July 9, 2021
What’s the Patriots’ limit on Stephon Gilmore’s contract?
It’s difficult to grasp where the Patriots are in terms of how they value Gilmore, but given their history of not giving aging players lucrative deals, it’s easy to understand why Henry McKenna of USA Today thinks a stopgap deal is the most likely endgame.
Throw in the fact that Gilmore is coming off season-ending surgery to repair a quad injury and New England is likely extremely reluctant to offer him a long-term deal.
If the two-time All-Pro got through last season without an injury and replicated the dominance he displayed in 2019, this wouldn’t even be a conversation. Heck, a deal probably would’ve gotten done already and fans would have nothing to worry about.
Even following their free agency splurge, the Patriots still have $18 million in cap space lying around. If you can believe it, that’s good for the seventh-most of any team in the NFL, so a lucrative one- or two-year deal is certainly in play for Gilmore.
If you take a look at the current highest-paid corners, based on annual average value, you have Jalen Ramsey ($20 million), Marlon Humphrey ($19.5 million), Tre’Davious White ($17.25 million), Darius Slay ($16.83 million) and Byron Jones ($16.5 million).
I just got off the phone with #Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore. On his contract situation: "I just want what I'm worth, however that plays out. Every player should be paid what they're worth. That’s just how it is." He told me he's not looking to push for a trade adding...[Cont] 1/3
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) July 9, 2021
We’d argue, and most rival fans probably would, too, that Gilmore belongs in the same echelon as those five shutdown cornerbacks. Of course, the only question is whether the Patriots are willing to give the former first-rounder a contract in that price range — whether its short- or long-term.
If we’re talking about a one-year deal, the furthest New England would go is likely something along the lines of $13-16 million. Anything less than that and the Pats’ hand would likely be forced in terms of shopping Gilmore in trades and causing even more unwanted attention.
