Patriots fan favorite reveals talks about making a return this season

Free agency may have begun three months ago, and nearly all of the top have already found new teams to play for, but there are still a few intriguing options remaining unsigned who could be quality fits for the Patriots this upcoming season.

The most desirable of all has to be Stephon Gilmore, who is surprisingly still available. He's become a Patriots fan favorite to return to where he saw his most success, and given the stage of his career, it's looking more possible a reunion could happen shortly.

The former Defensive Player of the Year has continued to have an impressive run since being traded by New England in 2021. Gilmore has spent one season with three different teams, and although he was looking to be re-signed by the Cowboys, it doesn't appear to be in the works.

Because minicamp has concluded, we're on the road to training camp, and he's still unsigned, there are questions about whether he would like to make his way back to New England if the opportunity arose.

Gilmore has said in the past that he would love to return, and by the sounds of it, that has not changed much since.

Stephon Gilmore doesn't shut down the idea of signing with the Patriots ahead of 2024

As one of the dozens of former teammates of Tom Brady's to attend his Patriots Hall of Fame ceremony last week, Gilmore was interviewed on the red carpet prior to the event.

Because he remains a free agent and was back in town, he was asked about his interest level in returning if Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf made the call. Sticking on par with what he's said previously, Gilmore left the door open for a possible reunion for the 2024 season.

"You never know. I’ll weigh any options. This is a place that I played great ball, so just letting it play out how it’s gonna be."

It was an exciting update to hear from the accomplished cornerback, especially since the Patriots could benefit from adding him to the roster. After losing three starters in free agency earlier this year (Myles Bryant, J.C. Jackson, and Jalen Mills), the secondary needs some boosting, which Gilmore would be perfect for.

Besides being a great fit, his mentorship and guidance would be an added benefit for guys like Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones, who are expected to be the young faces of the cornerback room for years to come.

As great as it all sounds, Gilmore mentioned that there haven't been any conversations with the team about his return, essentially quashing any hope that fans might have had.

Hopefully, that will change in the coming weeks and be settled before training camp starts next month. The Patriots have the means to sign Gilmore and don't have to worry about him fitting into the defense, as he's been one of the best cornerbacks in the league for several years.

So, at this point, it feels like we're just waiting on Mayo and Wolf to make the call and offer Gilmore the right contract.

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