Cowboys Trade For Stefon Gilmore: How Pro Bowl CB Escaped 'NFL's Worst Team'

The Cowboys acquired Stephon Gilmore for a relatively team-friendly price tag for a five-time All-Pro.

FRISCO - This has been an eventful offseason for the Dallas Cowboys, as they've made moves this year that have registered around the league as "big splashes."

One such move was the trade for cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

It's not quite the Deion Sanders signing of the 90s, but Dallas hopes it has the same effect: a Super Bowl win.

Gilmore has respectable credentials as a five-time All-Pro ready to force opposing quarterbacks who "gotta throw it somewhere'' into interceptions by him or Trevon Diggs or coordinator Dan Quinn's other ballhawks.

But how did this all happen?

According to ESPN, Gilmore's former teammate DeForest Buckner indicated Gilmore requested a trade earlier this offseason.

DeForest Buckner just made it clear cornerback Stephon Gilmore requested the trade from Indy.

"That's what he had to do for him and his family," Buckner said.

— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) April 12, 2023

This sheds some light on why the Cowboys were able to obtain Gilmore in exchange for a compensatory fifth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. 

And then there is this: A source close to the situation tells our Mike Fisher, "The Colts in 2023 are going to be the worst team in the league. Gilly deserves better than that - and the Colts knew it.''

It's clear why Gilmore may have wanted out of Indy. He'll be 33 in September, and he joined a Colts team last offseason thinking he was going to an AFC playoff team. But that didn't happen for Indianapolis and appear to need a ton of help all up and down the roster.

And with the Colts leaning toward taking a quarterback with the No. 4 overall pick in this month's NFL Draft, the playoffs may be a few seasons away.

Considering Gilmore's age, he most likely doesn't want to play for a team who is rebuilding for a future that he won't be a part of.

The Colts did what was best for the veteran cornerback this late in his career, as Dallas is projected to be an NFC contender in 2023. And the Colts did themselves right, as they should probably look to get younger at the position, given the current state of the franchise.

---