The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs could battle for two-time All-Pro cornerback, Stephon Gilmore with the Minnesota Vikings before this upcoming season. According to a report, the veteran is meeting with the Vikings this week after being a favorite of the Chiefs or Ravens through numerous rumors this offseason. Gilmore hasn’t been getting much less of a visit so they’re coming in now just in time for the regular season that starts next month so he may be in a new uniform soon. He turns 34 in September and spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys, proving to other teams that he still has a lot in thank to provide.
Gilmore has been a journeyman in his career after spending his NFL tenure with the Buffalo Bills, Patriots, Panthers and Colts. He continues to be a productive secondary member after winning five Pro Bowl nods, including being the Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. Gilmore heading to the Vikings could rekindle some history he has with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores after winning a Super Bowl with him in New England. The Vikings already made a move to trade Andrew Booth Jr. to the Cowboys in exchange for Nahshon Wright.
The Minnesota secondary has been drastically changing over the past few months since fourth-round rookie Khyree Jackson tragically died in July and Mekhi Blackmon suffered a season-ending injury in early training camp. They still have some holdovers like Byron Murphy and Josh Metellus but no one has the experience like Gilmore does so it’s easy to explain why the Vikings are not wasting time. One report says that Gilmore isn’t wasting his time in his visit for the Vikings so it should be a clear indication that he could sign soon.
Ravens, Chiefs Could Battle for Two-Time All-Pro Stephon Gilmore With Vikings
Battle for the Best
The Ravens still need a cornerback this offseason after Nate Wiggins suffered an injury in the past preseason game. However, reports say that Wiggins’ injury isn’t serious but the Ravens should play the safe game to bring in someone to complement Marlon Humphrey so he isn’t alone in the secondary. Baltimore is probably one injury away from disaster in that part of the defense so Gilmore’s addition would be solid for this group. The Ravens have one of the best defenses in the league and one disaster could lead to another if the secondary cracks.
Brandon Stephens could form one of the best cornerback duos still with Humphrey but they should think about the long-term aspect of it. Many were expecting Trevon Diggs to have a big season last year before Gilmore had to step in to be his replacement for the Cowboys after his season-ending injury. The Ravens have a lot of talent but if they want to reach championship material towards the Super Bowl, then they bring in someone like Gilmore. However, the Chiefs could battle it out without even having to make the highest bid.
Gilmore didn’t say he’s looking for the highest money but for the right opportunity and that could be in Kansas City. After losing L’Jarius Sneed, they need someone with star power to rekindle this secondary again to be great. Trent McDuffie has huge shoes to fill so having someone like Gilmore to be a mentor like he was with DaRon Bland would probably be helpful.
Other Possible Destinations
Carolina Panthers
Gilmore was heading towards signing with the Panthers since signs were indicating after the visit they had. However, both sides couldn’t make it work but could always revisit the decision and come to a consensus. The Panthers could address the cornerback position since they were busy getting a supporting cast for Bryce Young on offense. The secondary will feature Jaycee Horn as the main star but he hasn’t been doing anything special in terms of being a legit playmaker.
Dallas Cowboys
It seems unlikely that the Cowboys would bring back Gilmore being that they’re already hesitating on paying their key starters. However, things can always change if they still see Gilmore available and they decide they want to play it safe in case Diggs isn’t ready for week one but he should be. Bland gave credit to Gilmore for the season he had so why not rekindle the same chemistry again?
