Getty Raiders potential CB target Stephon Gilmore
The Raiders have done well to address several spots on the roster in the past eight days—yes, NFL free agency is only eight days old—but if there is a place that still needs an upgrade, it is in the defensive backfield, where cornerback depth is lacking. But CBS Sports has what could be an ideal fit for a short-term solution to the problem: five-time Pro Bowl veteran Stephon Gilmore, a free agent from the Cowboys.
Nate Hobbs is an excellent nickel back. In-season acquisition Jack Jones played well after he’d been cut by the Patriots and signed on to play for his old college coach, Antonio Pierce, but Jones has had an erratic career and shouldn’t be relied upon to be a starter.
Last year’s fourth-round draft pick, Jakorian Bennett, struggled badly and ranked 124th out of 127 corners according to Pro Football Focus’s grading system.
Enter Gilmore, who has become something of a hired hand here late in his career. He is 33 and has played for four different teams in the last four years. But he is still a top-shelf corner and could be a short-term fix for a Raiders team looking to compete in 2024.
Raiders’ Davante Adams Once Recruited Him
At least, from the perspective of CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, Gilmore is a fit in Las Vegas. In an article titled, “2024 NFL free agent matchmaker: Ryan Tannehill to Broncos, Odell Beckham Jr. to Jets, other big-name fits,” Gilmore to the Raiders was prominent on the list.
Wrote Benjamin: “The former All-Pro cover man could still be in play for a Dallas Cowboys encore, but Antonio Pierce has a bigger need at the position in Las Vegas, where the defensively minded Raiders can also offer more money. Working at the back end of a unit with Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins also has its draws.”
Gilmore played all 17 games for Dallas last year, but he struggled in the playoffs with a shoulder injury that required surgery. Still, he is expected to be ready for 2024. He has a championship pedigree, having helped the Patriots to a Super Bowl win at the end of the 2018 season.
It helps, too, that Gilmore has a fan in star Raiders receiver Davante Adams. Back when Gilmore left the Patriots in 2020, Adams wasted no time trying to recruit him to the Packers. Gilmore wrote a farewell to the Patriots on Instagram, and in the comments, Adams wrote, “Call me.”
Davante Adams comments “Call me.” under Stephon Gilmore’s farewell to New England.
Stephon Gilmore ‘Still Thrives in Single Coverage’
Gilmore might be available on the cheap, given where the market is. He is coming off a contract in which he earned $20 million over two years, originally signed by the Colts in 2022. According to Spotrac, he has a market value of $11.4 million on a one-year deal.
Given his age, that makes some sense. But given the state of the market, he could wind up having to sign on a discount deal with a playoff contender. The Raiders will almost certainly use a high pick on a cornerback in the upcoming draft, but Gilmore would be an ideal placeholder.
Pro Football Focus projects a Gilmore deal at one year, $10 million. The site summed up his free-agent credentials:
“Gilmore’s trade from the Indianapolis Colts to the Dallas Cowboys this offseason got him back to playing contending football, and he hasn’t skipped a beat at any point as he’s moved around over the past few years. Gilmore still thrives in single coverage and can jostle with the more physical receivers who play through contact, timing his leap well on contested catches and jumping routes with top-end play recognition.”