BREAKING: Lions have agreed to sign a $98.1 million, All-Pro cornerback.
Aidan Hutchinson, the Detroit Lions’ defensive end, could be a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate. With a huge need at cornerback, Jared Ramsey of The Detroit Free Press advocated that the Lions sign veteran Stephon Gilmore, who has already won the honor.
Ramsey identified Gilmore as one of six Lions cornerbacks “to watch” this offseason.”Long been considered one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, even taking home a Defensive Player of the Year in addition to his two All-Pros and five Pro Bowls, and delivered a solid 2023 season for the NFC East-winning Cowboys,” Ramsey said in a statement. “Although he is in the last years of his career, he still showed he
Gilmore recorded 68 total tackles, 13 pass defenses, and 2 interceptions for the Dallas Cowboys in 2023.
He was named first-team All-Pro with the New England Patriots in 2018 and 2019. Gilmore led the NFL in interceptions and pass defenses in 2019, earning the Defensive Player of the Year honor.Gilmore began his career as a first-round choice of the Buffalo Bills in 2012. During the 2017 offseason, the Patriots signed him to a 5-year contract worth $65 million.
Gilmore will turn 34 early in the 2024 season, in September. So he isn’t a long-term cornerback option.
However, as Ramsey reported, Gilmore continued to perform effectively for the Cowboys during the 2023 season. With 1,002 defensive snaps, he not only led all Cowboys cornerbacks, but also all Cowboys defenders.It was Gilmore’s fourth season with more than 1,000 defensive snaps.
Despite his substantial playing time at 33 years old, Gilmore finished 27th in Pro Football Focus’ player grades among 75 cornerbacks who played at least 50% of their team’s defensive snaps in 2023.
According to PFF, the only Lions cornerback (out of the 75 qualified corners)