According to reports Stephon Gilmore is slated to move to the New England Patriots after spending his first five NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills. ESPN’s Adam Schefter initially reported on the deal.
Bills free agent CB Stephon Gilmore expects to sign with New England barring any final snags, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2017
The expected price tag for free agent CB Stephon Gilmore for the #Patriots is slated to eclipse $14M per year, I’m told. Hefty but worth it
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2017
Report: Stephon Gilmore To Sign With New England
Despite another season without postseason football in Buffalo, Gilmore enjoyed a relatively solid campaign. He had five interceptions on the year, a total bested by only four other players. And only the Atlanta Falcons Deion Jones, who returned two picks for touchdowns, accumulated more yardage from his interceptions than Gilmore’s 135. As a result, he made his first Pro Bowl.
Gilmore anchored a Bills secondary which proved reliable against the pass in 2016. Buffalo finished tenth or better in pass defense, passing first downs conceded and opponent completion percentage per game. The unit as a whole gave up a mere 19 passing touchdowns, the fourth best total in the league.
A year earlier in Rex Ryan’s first season as head coach, him and rookie Ronald Darby formed among the more formidable corner tandems in the league. The two excelled at forcing incompletions, combining for 39 pass break-ups. Gilmore accounted for 19, tied with Carolina’s Josh Norman for seventh in the NFL.
Injuries haven’t been too much of a concern over Gilmore’s career. He’s started at least 75 percent the Bills regular season games in four of his five years in the league. But did miss the first five games of 2013 due to a wrist injury and the final five of 2015 after having surgery on a torn labrum.
The 26-year-old enjoyed a standout collegiate career at South Carolina. He earned first-team all-SEC honors in two of his three years with the Gamecocks. As a result, he came into the 2012 NFL Draft as one of the top pro prospects at cornerbacks. The Bills selected him tenth overall.
