{"id":61973,"date":"2021-02-12T23:34:23","date_gmt":"2021-02-13T04:34:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=61973"},"modified":"2021-08-30T06:17:31","modified_gmt":"2021-08-30T06:17:31","slug":"patriots-mailbag-will-the-patriots-trade-stephon-gilmore-this-offseason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=61973","title":{"rendered":"Patriots Mailbag: Will the Patriots Trade Stephon Gilmore This Offseason?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Patriots are approaching a significant rebuild this offseason, but one of their biggest looming roster decisions is moving to the back burner in place of quarterback and receiver talk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New England\u2019s top cornerback, and 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore, was the topic of conversation in trade discussions dating back to last year\u2019s draft.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bill Belichick was seeking a first-round pick plus an established NFL player for Gilmore at the time, who still had two years remaining on his deal, but a trade never came to fruition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gilmore then entered training camp disgruntled and wanting a new contract after back-to-back All-Pro seasons. The Pats and Gilmore agreed to a salary advance disguised as a raise as a short-term solution, but then rumors began to swirl again around last year\u2019s trade deadline.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Entering his age 31 season, Gilmore will take home $7.3 million in the final year of his deal, which ranks 23rd among cornerbacks, certainly below market value.<\/span><\/p>\n

New England doesn\u2019t seem eager to sign Gilmore to an extension to keep the star cornerback beyond the 2021 season, and we\u2019ve been down this road before with Belichick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Belichick released Hall of Fame corner Ty Law in 2005, let Aqib Talib walk as a free agent in 2014, and then Darrelle Revis departed after one season with the team in 2015.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gilmore\u2019s original five-year, $65 million deal with the Patriots is the biggest free-agent contract ever handed out by Belichick, so maybe Gilmore is different, or perhaps he\u2019s on his way out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The question now for the Patriots is, after failing to maximize Gilmore\u2019s value last season, what can they get for him in a trade? And how will they replace him on the field?<\/span><\/p>\n

Although a substantial package is unlikely, receiving a top 50 pick from a contender trying to upgrade its secondary isn\u2019t unrealistic and should be welcomed by the rebuilding Patriots.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Assuming they address their offensive needs through veteran trades or free agency, there are three first-round cornerback prospects in April\u2019s draft that could interest New England at 15.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n
Patrick Surtain II, Alabama<\/a><\/td>\nThree-year starter & son of NFL CB Patrick Surtain, press-man CB with great patience and length (6-2), Gilmore-like in how he stays square and waits for WRs to declare their routes before pouncing, battles at and through the catch point with length, trusts his technique and turn+run skills to stay square, good feel for route combos and passing off routes in zone, improving run defender and tackler<\/td>\nDefending deep passes, some issues with quick-twitch\/explosive movements, allows WRs into blind spot in C3 zone drops, doesn’t shy away from contact but not overly aggressive in run support<\/td>\nHigh quality starter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech<\/a><\/td>\nPress man corner with size\/length\/fluidity to mirror and match, great athlete, man on an island CB at VT, anticipatory skills to run routes for WRs, converted WR\/QB with great ball skills\/tracking ability, plays through catch point, physical traits to develop in zone coverage, plays like an alpha, versatility\/used as deep SAF in some rotations<\/td>\nOnly one year of starter experience at CB, passing off\/route recogntion from zone coverage, tackling technique and willingness in run support<\/td>\nHigh quality starter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jaycee Horn, South Carolina<\/a><\/td>\nThree-year player & son of former NFL WR Joe Horn, played slot (2018) and wide corner (2019-20), very good length\/build, best in zone coverage where his click+close and ability to work into passing lanes show, aggressive\/physical in press coverage with ability to smother WRs, calm with the ball in the air and plays through the catch point, can track the ball and stay glued to his WR, plays multiple coverages well<\/td>\nStiff hip transitions and suddenness, needs better route anticipation (stop guessing), tackling\/run defense, stiffness\/lack of anticipation hurts most in off-man coverage, gets grabby<\/td>\nabove-average starter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The best of the group is Alabama\u2019s Patrick Surtain II, who the Pats will have good intel on from Nick Saban. Surtain is a calm, technically sound press-man corner with great length and physicality; a perfect scheme fit whose father played in the NFL for 11 seasons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Virginia Tech\u2019s Caleb Farley is another option who has more explosive athletic traits but lacks Surtain\u2019s polish, while South Carolina\u2019s Jaycee Horn is a solid man coverage corner as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After addressing their needs offensively through a different avenue, the Patriots could conceivably replace Gilmore with a cost-controlled first-rounder with the 15th pick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The next step would then lead them to either a team-friendly deal with restricted free agent JC Jackson or Jackson might play on a one-year tender to get the most money as a UFA in 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Having those two assets, Jackson and a first-round cornerback, would give the Patriots two young corners, both counting modestly against the cap while still producing at a high level.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Plus, Belichick would then have another draft selection to address the various needs the Patriots have, potentially landing three players in the top 50 picks if they play their cards right.<\/p>\n

As we always say, that isn\u2019t the only way New England could approach their offseason. But landing another valuable draft pick for Gilmore to expedite a rebuild while maintaining a strong secondary with cost-controlled players seems like a Belichick thing to do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019ve addressed the Gilmore situation, let\u2019s answer some of your questions:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

To what extent can the Patriots take advantage of league-wide salary cap pressure given their cap space? Any specific cap casualties you have in mind that might land in NE?<\/p>\n

— Ben Burud (@BenBurud) February 11, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n