FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – When each of the Patriots four quarterbacks dropped back, you could see it. It was clear as day and it shouldn’t be debatable.
The Patriots need Stephon Gilmore.
That was evident when Jalen Mills or Michael Jackson Sr. were lining up opposite of J.C. Jackson at outside cornerback. It was obvious when it came time for 1-on-1 drills and Patriots wide receivers beat Patriots defensive backs on 12-of-14 reps and that included a dropped pass.
The Patriots started minicamp on Monday and Gilmore, the team’s top defensive player, wasn’t in attendance. Prior to practice starting, Bill Belichick was evasive in his words about Gilmore when asked if the Pro Bowler was in town for the mandatory practice.
“We’re scrambling to get things going this morning, so I didn’t really get a chance to see everybody myself, so we’ll see where we’re at,” Belichick said when asked if the cornerback was present. When asked about Gilmore not participating in OTAs and about his importance to the defense, the Patriots coach said, “We’ll there’s a lot of players we haven’t seen in OTAs. All the players are important and we’d like to have all of them.”
As the day unfolded, we understood why Belichick was noncommittal. According to the Boston Herald, Gilmore is not attending minicamp due to a “contract dispute.” That means the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is holding out due to his base salary of $7 million.
The two sides seem to be at a standstill with Gilmore scheduled to lose $93,085 by skipping mandatory minicamp. The cornerback was the subject of trade rumors last year, but the Pats held on to their No. 1 cornerback. It was a smart move then and it would be a smart move for the Patriots to pony up and pay Gilmore what he’s worth.
How did the Patriots and Gilmore get here?
Belichick’s been here before. In 2010, Logan Mankins held out before rejoining the Pats in November. Things worked out as the Pro Bowl guard signed a six-year deal the following summer. Of course, the situation is a bit different. At that time, Mankins was being paid $3.26 million, he was in his prime and a two-time Pro Bowler.
Gilmore restructured his contract last year with the Pats and the new deal moved $4.5 million of his 2021 salary up to 2020. That left him with a smaller base salary for this year. Coming off his fourth Pro Bowl season, Gilmore clearly wants more money. According to Spotrac, Gilmore is set to earn $7.5 million in cash in 2021. That ties him at 25th among cornerbacks in the NFL.
Gilmore lost some leverage due to the way his 2020 season ended. The cornerback suffered a quad injury that cost him most of last season. He finished the year on the injured reserve and needed surgery. Gilmore has been rehabbing this offseason. He’ll also turn 31-years-old on Sept. 19.
"I support my brother, but I wish (Gilmore) was here," Patriots safety Adrian Phillips said on Monday. “… The best thing to do is let him know you support him. You want (Gilmore) back, but as you say, there’s a business side.”
Why Stephon Gilmore should be prioritized in New England
From the Patriots perspective, they might not feel inclined to pay a cornerback over 30, coming off an injury, more money. However, it’s impossible to look at the team’s current salary cap situation and roster and say that’s a smart move.
According to Patriots cap expert Miguel Benzan, the team has $15,044,051 in cap space. This offseason, we saw the Pats spend more money in free agency than any team in NFL history. They’re clearly loading up to compete this year. Why shouldn’t they make their best cornerback happy when they have more than enough money to pay the man?
Monday’s practice was one example of Gilmore’s need in Foxboro.
If the Pats move on from Gilmore, Jackson becomes their No. 1 cornerback. He’s a solid young cornerback who turns 26-years-old this season. He's coming off a year where he finished second in the NFL in interception with nine total. Last year, Jackson showed he has great ball skills. However, he still allowed five touchdowns. Four of those came when Gilmore wasn’t playing. In 11 games last year, Gilmore allowed one score. He had less interceptions, but was still a better cover corner than Jackson.
Behind Jackson is Mills, who started at safety for Philadelphia last year and played cornerback the previous four seasons. Then you have Jackson, who's appeared in two NFL games, and Joejuan Williams, who is still unproven.
Aside from the shaky outside cornerback depth, there’s also Jackson’s contract to consider since he’s set to become a free agent in 2022. Does it make sense to trade Gilmore when Jackson will enter unrestricted free agency next offseason?
The Patriots currently have poor long-term depth at cornerback. They can rectify that by giving Gilmore more money and adding another year (or two) to his contract. Considering the Pats have a loaded up defense with the likes of Matt Judon, Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy, etc., in the fold. Why not make your top cornerback happy?
The Patriots have the cap space. They lack great depth at cornerback. Their other option (Jackson) could be out the door next offseason. It makes too much sense to give Gilmore a raise. That could be seen on the practice field on Monday. It’ll probably be seen if the Pats don’t have Gilmore this season.
That's why the Patriots should pay Stephon Gilmore.
