Getty Stephon Gilmore
The New England Patriots Stephon Gilmore is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, but he might just be the most expendable superstar in the NFL.
As the November 3 trade deadline approaches, Gilmore’s name continues to come up in trade rumors. It appears there is now a specific price being mentioned as the most-likely tag for the all-world defensive back.
“If You Can Get a First-Round Pick for Gilmore, I’d Do It”
Would the Patriots really part ways with Gilmore, arguably the best cornerback in the NFL? Patriots.com Paul Perillo doesn’t appear to hesitate when he said the following in a recent edition of his mailbag feature.
I’ve been firmly in the sell camp for a couple of weeks now and I continue to believe that. I don’t want to trade players just for the sake of making trades, but if a team is looking to deal a first-round pick for Gilmore I’d do it.
First-round picks are obviously coveted in the NFL. The Patriots haven’t had a ton of luck with them recently, see N’Keal Harry in 2019, but that doesn’t mean New England couldn’t package to add more picks for the future. That just might be enough to get Bill Belichick to pull the trigger on a deal sending Gilmore elsewhere–especially if the Patriots fall to 2-5 after Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
Gilmore Unlikely to Return to New England in 2021: Report
Gilmore got a significant raise in 2020, but he’s set to be a free agent after next season with a pretty significant cap hit for 2021. Despite his greatness, it’s easy to see a scenario where the Patriots trade him in the offseason.
If they can get a similar or higher return at the trade deadline, it could happen within a week. Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut broke down what has become a short history of trade-related rumors that have swirled around Gilmore and the Patriots for over a year.
Johnson wrote:
Gilmore, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, was reportedly put on the trade block this offseason. The Patriots considered trading Gilmore before the 2020 NFL Draft and during training camp. While a move would have created financial flexibility, the Patriots ultimately kept him. After signing Cam Newton, it looked like New England would be contenders once again. Now sitting at 2-3 after an ugly loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Bill Belichick might be open to reconsidering a trade. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted on Monday that Gilmore likely won’t be back with the Patriots in 2021, creating a real possibility that he could be moved before the NFL trade deadline. Gilmore is under contract for next season with a $17.7 million cap hit, a figure New England seemingly wants to get off its books.
Patriots Have the Depth to Absorb Moving Gilmore
There is a way to Patriots could move Gilmore, and not actually tank this season. With J.C. Jackson and Jonathan Jones, the Patriots have some outstanding young corners on their roster.
Even if they did trade Gilmore, the team would still have one of the better corner tandems in the league. If the Patriots could find a team willing to give them a young TE or WR and a second-round pick for Gilmore, they could still add a solid draft asset and a player who fits a need.
The trade deadline is November 3. Let’s see what the Patriots do to improve.
Also Read:
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- 49ers Analyst Unleashes Personal Attack on Cam Newton in Epic Rant [WATCH]