Getty The Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett connected head coach Dan Campbell and the Detroit Lions to former All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
The Detroit Lions could have a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate in defensive end Aidan Hutchinson already on the roster. But with a major need at cornerback, The Detroit Free Press’ Jared Ramsey proposed the idea of the Lions signing a cornerback who has already won that award in veteran Stephon Gilmore.
Ramsey named Gilmore one of six cornerbacks “to watch” this offseason for the Lions.
“Long been considered one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, even taking home a Defensive Player of the Year in addition to his two All-Pros and five Pro Bowls, and delivered a solid 2023 season for the NFC East-winning Cowboys,” Ramsey wrote. “Though he is in the final years of his career, he still showed he can be a No. 1 corner with championship pedigree.”
With the Dallas Cowboys in 2023, Gilmore posted 68 combined tackles with 13 pass defenses and 2 interceptions.
He made first-team All-Pro with the New England Patriots during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Gilmore led the NFL with 6 interceptions and 20 pass defenses on his way to the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019.
Gilmore began his career as a first-round pick with the Buffalo Bills in 2012. The Patriots signed him to a 5-year, $65 million contract during the 2017 offseason.
How Stephon Gilmore Could Fit With the Lions
Gilmore will turn 34 years old early in the 2024 season during September. So, he’s not a long-term solution at cornerback.
But as Ramsey documented, Gilmore still played well for the Cowboys during the 2023 season. His 1,002 defensive snaps not only led all Cowboys cornerbacks, but he was first among all Cowboys defenders in total snaps.
It was the fourth time in Gilmore’s career that he played more than 1,000 defensive snaps in a season.
Even with that extensive playing time at 33 years old, Gilmore finished 27th in the player grades from Pro Football Focus out of 75 cornerbacks who played at least 50% of his team’s defensive snaps in 2023.
According to PFF, the only Lions cornerback (of the 75 eligible cornerbacks) who played better than Gilmore during 2023 was rookie slot cornerback Brian Branch.
Lions Signing Gilmore Would Unite CB With his Brother, Steven
There’s another intriguing storyline to the Lions potentially signing the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year award winner.
The team already has a Gilmore on the roster.
“Signing in Detroit could also reunite him with his brother, Steven, who joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and made the team,” wrote Ramsey.
Steven Gilmore played just 2 defensive snaps and another 12 snaps on special teams for the Lions as an undrafted rookie. But if he remained on the Detroit roster for 2024, the Lions could feature both Gilmore brothers in their secondary.
On March 5, the Lions re-signed veteran cornerback Emmanuel Moseley. However, Moseley played just as much as Steven Gilmore did in 2023.
Moseley missed the first four games of last season recovering from a left ACL tear he sustained with the San Francisco 49ers in 2022. Then 2 snaps into his Lions tenure, he tore his right ACL.
Detroit bringing back Moseley gives the team more cornerback depth. But the Lions could still use a bigger upgrade at cornerback after finishing the 2023 season 27th in pass defense.
On a short-term deal, Gilmore could provide the Lions an instant cornerback upgrade in free agency.