Stephon Gilmore went from winning Defensive Player of The Year five years ago, and turning in an impressive 2023 season with the Dallas Cowboys, to still searching for a home via free agency as training camps begin to open across the NFL.

Gilmore, 33, intercepted a pair of passes while producing a career-high 68 total tackles for the Dallas Cowboys last season, but is one of the few remaining free agent cornerbacks.

“There are still some good corners and safeties out there like Justin Simmons and myself that are still not signed,” Gilmore told Josina Anderson. “Honestly, I’m still being patient and staying ready until teams see what they have in training camp. But you mean to tell me among 32 teams that there are 64 starting corners that are better than me? I don’t think that. If teams want to win, I think they should sign the best players. I know I’m still a starter in this league. I started games last year, but the season doesn’t start until September, so we’ve got a while.”

As Pro Football Focus points out, even though opposing receivers averaged 13.1 yards per reception when quarterbacks threw his direction, those signal callers only managed a meager 83.3 passer rating on those targets.

In Dallas, it’s easy to see why the Cowboys might not have spent big to bring Gilmore back after DaRon Bland intercepted a career-high nine passes and Trevon Diggs set to return this season.

But, Gilmore remains at minimum serviceable veteran player at a premium position.

Why Stephon Gilmore Might Still Be Available

According to Spotrac, Gilmore’s market value could put him in line to fetch a deal that pays him $9 million for the upcoming season.

After missing out on some of the big paydays of free agency’s early waves this spring, there’s a chance that Gilmore may need to be patient a bit longer.

If a team signs Gilmore after Week 1 of the season, his salary would not be guaranteed for the entire season.

Likewise, Gilmore could have some motivation to be patient himself, because should a contending team see one of its top cornerbacks suffer an injury this summer during the preseason or training camp practices, the veteran could be a viable replacement.

Dallas Cowboys, Stephon Gilmore