Getty Stephon Gilmore before his October 31, 2021 road game versus the Falcons.
The chase to nab Stephon Gilmore during the start of NFL free agency week has taken a new turn: Three teams are left in the running as of Monday, March 14.
And the San Francisco 49ers are among those in the mix — with one NFL insider indicating the 49ers are battling a franchise with past S.F. representation as the two “most interested” suitors.
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Per Connor Hughes, who covers the New York Jets for The Athletic, the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the cornerback who was once signed to a five-year, $65 million deal with the New England Patriots has the 49ers, Jets and the Las Vegas Raiders as the ones who are “in” on Gilmore. Hughes’ fellow Athletic colleagues David Lombardi (49ers insider) and Vic Tafur (Raiders insider) also helped Hughes break the story.
“The three teams in on Stephon Gilmore are the Jets, 49ers and Raiders, sources tell
@VicTafur, @LombardiHimself and me,” Hughes tweeted.
And there’s more: Hughes adds the 49ers have a price ceiling for Gilmore that they hope to get below what new Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson and Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Carlton Davis received on Monday.
“Jets, 49ers believed to be most interested. 49ers hoping to get Gilmore for below what Jackson, Davis got ($15-$16 APY),” Hughes included, with APY standing for average per year.
The three teams in on Stephon Gilmore are the #Jets, #49ers and #Raiders, sources tell @VicTafur, @LombardiHimself and me.
Jets, 49ers believed to be most interested. 49ers hoping to get Gilmore for below what Jackson, Davis got ($15-$16 APY).
Potential Price Range & fit for Gilmore
To reiterate: The past Defensive Player of the Year winner and Super Bowl champion Gilmore was once worth an average salary of $13 million per Spotrac.
But can the 49ers get him for much cheaper? Lombardi posted an idea of what the 49ers could hit from a pricing standpoint when a fan asked him if Gilmore will get more than last season.
“No, that’s why I’m wondering if Gilmore might be had at around $10 million,” Lombardi tweeted. “Would satisfy 49ers’ desire for a strong vet CB presence at a discounted rate. That’s how they’ve rolled for 4 straight seasons and rush-over-coverage philosophy won’t change now.”
Gilmore Would Continue Current Trend in the Bay Area
On the topic of “strong vet presence” in the secondary, that has been a common theme for the 49ers under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
In 2018, the 49ers took in a then 30-year-old Richard Sherman via free agency. Sherman would end up playing three seasons with the franchise which included the Super Bowl 54 trip in the 2019 season.
In 2019, the franchise added veteran San Diego/Los Angeles Charger cornerback Jason Verrett. The 30-year-old Verrett is now an unrestricted free agent after signing a one-year, $5.5 million deal.
Then, two seasons later, the 49ers lured in another aging former Pro Bowler and, like Sherman, came with previous Super Bowl experience: Josh Norman. The 34-year-old Norman was another who joined Verrett on signing to a one-year deal (Norman’s was worth $1.5 million). Norman, though, is another unrestricted free agent and he’s been projected to play elsewhere.
But before Monday, Gilmore had been long thought of as a possible 49ers free agent pickup for 2022 — with outlets like Bleacher Report and B/R writer Alex Ballentine listing the ‘Niners as one of six potential landing spots for Gilmore back on January 28.
Even Sherman made this prediction on his podcast:
Remember Richard Sherman’s comments on Stephon Gilmore a couple weeks ago?
Could be something, could be nothing
Something to monitor going forward either way
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