Early Tuesday morning the Patriots traded 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers in an unexpected and abrupt move only four games into the season. In return the Patriots received a 2023 6th round draft pick, not as high a price as one might hope for a player of Gilmore’s status.
While the compensation for Gilmore is equal value, the move fits in with Bellichick’s theme of moving off of aging, post-injury players who take a toll on their cap. Gilmore has yet to play in a game this season in the final year on his deal, and is looking for a raise following his acclaimed 2019 season and multiple years of success with the team.
The Patriots were reluctant to give Gilmore his raise due to his absence from the field. The corner missed the end of the 2020 season in addition to his absence this season all due to a quad injury. While he has had success with the team in recent years, his injuries suggest a decline is coming. The Patriots elected to move off him rather than overpay for a player who would just be a luxury for an already good secondary.
Gilmore’s injury gave an opportunity for other defensive backs to assume bigger roles in the secondary. At the top of this list is J.C. Jackson, who has been the number one corner on the team with Gilmore out. WIth 19 interceptions in his short four year career and a big enough sample size as the number one corner, the Patriots were comfortable moving off their previous number one who is dealing with injuries and looking for more money.
In addition, the release of Jamie Collins by the Detroit Lions was an obvious match for the Patriots, and they did in fact inquire about signing the linebacker. One of the problems was the cap, and the Patriots were pressed up right against it. Negotiating a new deal with Gilmore could have resulted in a restructure to lower his cap hit, opening up space for Collins but didn’t go that way.
Ultimately a combination of an already impactful secondary, and the need for more speed at the linebacker position led to this move. Gilmore was not worth bringing back if his decline would linger into those extension years, and the help they needed was in the front seven, not in pass defense.
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