Stephon Gilmore didn’t get to pick his team, but he couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. Hours after being traded from the Patriots, the cornerback told the team website that playing for the Panthers is a “dream come true.”
“I always wanted to, growing up as a kid,” Gilmore said. “Some things you can’t control. But I always thought about it as a kid, and you always dreamed about it. But it happened, and I’m happy it happened.”
Gilmore spent years pushing the Patriots for a new contract. Ultimately, in vintage Pats fashion, they chose to move on instead. For his part, Gilmore has agreed to table talks until after the season. After that, it sounds like he’d be pretty open to staying in Carolina.
“I think so,” said Gilmore when asked if he’d have signed with the Panthers if he was released this week. “This is a place I always wanted to play. Looking at the team and what they’ve got, the potential. Obviously, you have to put in a lot of hard work to get to where you want to go. For sure, I think it was a great opportunity I would come here.”
Ideally, the Panthers would like to retain both Gilmore and 25-year-old corner Donte Jackson this spring. In the meantime, Gilmore is strictly focused on returning to the field. Still on the PUP list with a quad injury, Gilmore hopes to debut sometime in the next few weeks.
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