Packer Central

Packers Need Corner; Gilmore Becomes Available

Health concerns notwithstanding, the Green Bay Packers potentially would have a pair of lockdown cornerbacks with Stephon Gilmore and Jaire Alexander.

Bill Huber

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers need a cornerback and one of the best in the NFL suddenly has become available.

On Wednesday morning, ESPN.com's Adam Schefter reported the New England Patriots are releasing Stephon Gilmore. A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Gilmore was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, when he led the league in interceptions (six) and passes defensed (20).

The move is not official and the Patriots might be attempting to swing a trade first.

Gilmore had one interception and just three passes defensed in 11 games last season. He missed the end of the season with a torn quad that required surgery. Because of that injury, he was on the Patriots’ physically unable to perform list to start this season. He could have been activated after next week’s game.

For New England, it was partially an accounting decision as it was tight against the salary cap. This was the final season of his five-year, $65 million contract. He was due a $7 million base salary.

With All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander injured late in Sunday’s victory over Pittsburgh, Green Bay has a potential problem in the secondary. Assuming the injury is of short-term nature, a cornerback pairing of Alexander and Gilmore would be elite and would solidify the Packers’ standing as Super Bowl contenders. If first-round pick Eric Stokes develops into a legit player, the Packers trio would be fearsome and help offset the lack of pass rush with Za’Darius Smith out indefinitely following back surgery.

"If I were Green Bay, I'd do it," one team's top personnel man said via a text message. "Their secondary is weak, they have a deep playoff offense and not a great pass rush. You better be able to cover."

However, accounting is a problem for Green Bay, too. According to the latest from the NFLPA, the Packers are about $7.1 million below the salary cap. Some of that money will be needed to handle in-season roster moves, such as practice-squad elevations and other additions needed to handle injuries.

The Packers are more than $40 million over the 2022 salary cap, so it would be difficult if not impossible to sign him to a long-term contract.

As former NFL general manager Randy Mueller said on Twitter, “My guess is … Gilmore is not going to refuse a restructured deal unless he has a pretty good idea of what the market holds. Currently the NFL is starved for corners. Supply and demand probably tells me he gets a raise.”

Thus, the Packers’ hope – assuming they’re interested in a 31-year-old cornerback who hasn’t even practiced since December – is that the lure of playing with quarterback Aaron Rodgers and for a contender would entice Gilmore to sign a below-market contract for the remainder of this season. And then, in turn, Gilmore would play well enough to earn a big payday as a free agent this coming offseason.

It appears receiver Davante Adams is ready to help in a recruiting pitch.

Despite the lack of ball production last season, Gilmore remained a quality corner. Last year, 79 cornerbacks played at least 50 percent of the passing-game snaps. According to Pro Football Focus and its best guess at coverage responsibilities, Gilmore ranked 17th in snaps per reception.

However, according to Sports Info Solutions, Gilmore went from 41.8 percent completions and 4.9 yards per target in 2018, to 45.3 percent and 6.4 yards in 2019 to 60.0 percent and 7.7 yards in 2020.

Gilmore wanted a new deal from New England after his banner 2019 campaign but the two sides could not agree to a restructure.

“It is with mixed emotions that I announce my goodbye to this great fan base,” Gilmore wrote on Twitter. “We enjoyed so much success together and you have been an incredible inspiration for my individual achievements. Thank you for supporting this Rock Hill kid and allowing him to achieve his NFL dreams.”

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.

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