Just how much is left out of a past Super Bowl winner once considered the best at his position? And won a Defensive Player of the Year nod for his prowess at cornerback not long ago for the New England Patriots?
And is this veteran and multiple Pro Bowler capable of becoming a missing piece to a San Francisco 49ers team needing cornerback help in 2022? Plus can help elevate them past division rival the Los Angeles Rams for the Super Bowl?
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Stephon Gilmore was the subject of this Bleacher Report article before the NFC title game — which saw B/R analyst Alex Ballentine mention his belief that Gilmore and the 49ers can be a pairing.
Well, nearly one month later, Ballentine isn’t the only NFL analyst on board with the 49ers luring in the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. So is one Heavy on NFL writer.
Why Gilmore is the 1 CB Who the 49ers Should Pursue
In a recent episode of Heavy’s I’m Just Saying with Brian Mazique, the host of the program and Heavy on Patriots writer let it be known: “Give me Gilmore to the 49ers.”
Here’s why Mazique stated his reasons:
“If you can get him for like 14 games and the playoffs then I still believe he can play at a high level. Especially considering how good the 49ers already are on defense in a lot of different areas. Even with him having a somewhat down year he still made the Pro Bowl. Gilmore is still an elite corner and if you put him in a good situation with a Super Bowl as a possibility that would be a good spot.”
But that’s not all from Mazique. He dove into the “underrated thing” that involves the soon-to-be 32-year-old defender.
“Here is another underrated thing about him: I think he has a chip on his shoulder. Gilmore feels like he needs to prove it still and the 49ers won’t be giving him a long term deal. I believe if you can offer him like a one-year deal between $12.5 and $14 million that would be ideal. This could help them get over the hump and get to the Super Bowl.”
Mazique is also convinced the 49ers are heading in the right direction — the kind that will get them to surpass their rival the Rams.
“By the way, if I could be any team heading into 2022, I would want to be the 49ers. They have the most ideal setup with an elite defense, an elite wide receiver, an elite tight end I’m not even sure I wouldn’t try to trade him, and you have an absolutely top middle linebacker in the league. They have a dynamic elite nasty pass rusher. You need maybe one or two things and some depth and you’re probably the favorites to win the NFC.”
Is Gilmore the Best CB Available?
Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus dished out his listings for top cornerbacks available in both free agency and the draft on Monday, February 21.
And his top two pickings on the free agent cornerback side are Patriots-heavy.
At No. 1 by Monson is J.C. Jackson of the Pats — who will likely command a lot of attention once free agency officially starts on March 16. But No. 2? The former Patriot Gilmore. Here’s what Monson said about the 2022 free agent who’s currently with the Carolina Panthers:
“In Carolina, Gilmore showed that he still has some gas left in the tank, but a cornerback specializing in man-to-man coverage at 31 years old will scare teams, so his market is likely short-term deals only,” Monson wrote.
While Gilmore was limited to three starts and eight games of action, he still got two interceptions in a single season for the fourth time in his career per Pro Football Reference. And he was still given Pro Bowl honors despite playing a truncated 2021.
But a Gilmore to 49ers pairing is a growing possibility…and on the surface looks enticing for a defender looking to squeeze out whatever is left while hunting down another ring.
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Analyst Calls 49ers ‘a Good Spot’ for Super Bowl Winning Defender