Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A New England Patriots helmet sits idle before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
A former New England Patriots All-Pro teased the idea of a potential return during an interview at Tom Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame ceremony. Cornerback Stephon Gilmore has had a trying offseason after posting a solid effort for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2023 season.
Stephon Gilmore wanted to re-sign with the Dallas Cowboys
As previously discussed on GH, Gilmore wanted to re-sign with the Cowboys, but he’s been in touch with other teams this offseason:
Gilmore said earlier this offseason it was his “goal” to return to the Cowboys. However, the Cowboys have not yet re-signed him, and he’s getting interest from other teams.
Jadeveon Clowney has recruited him to come home and join forces with the Panthers, as both players are from the Carolinas. The Panthers haven’t reached a deal with Gilmore, but they want to.
The Cowboys aren’t aggressively pursuing Gilmore
During the annual league meeting, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the team likes Gilmore, but Dallas has to “pick and choose” where to allocate its resources this season.
Gilmore made just south of $8 million last season, per Over The Cap. The 33-year-old recorded 68 tackles and two interceptions with the Cowboys. Pro Football Focus gave Gilmore a 74.4 grade for his play last season.
Gilmore is still talented, but the Cowboys have been stingy this offseason as they continue to procrastinate with the contracts of Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, and CeeDee Lamb. There was some hope in the Cowboys fanbase that Gilmore would return when it was reported that Ezekiel Elliott would wear the No. 15 jersey instead of No. 21, which Gilmore wore in Dallas last year. However, Michael Gehlken with the Dallas Morning Newsreported no deal with Gilmore was close to being finalized.
Gilmore is open to playing for the New England Patriots
Gilmore is still waiting for a home. Per Nick O’Malley with MassLive, Gilmore said this week that he’s open to playing with the Patriots in the upcoming season.
“You never know. I’ll weigh any options,’ Gilmore said. “This is a place that I played great ball, so just letting it play out how it’s gonna be.”
Gilmore said he has not been in contact with the Patriots about a potential return. He’s not in a hurry to sign with a team now that OTAs are over. He wants to find the right spot for him this season:
“Being patient right now,” he said. “I feel good, Year 13, been playing a long time. So I’m just being patient and waiting for the right opportunity.”
The Patriots have a loaded defense in Jerod Mayo’s first season as the head coach. Would Mayo be interested in bringing back his former teammate to help the secondary?
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Jordan Sigler is a sports journalist. He writes about sports for Wisconsin Sports Heroics, ChiCitySports, and Gridiron Heroics. His craft has been nationally syndicated for Yardbarker and MSN