Patriots Should Reunite With Former DPOY

The New England Patriots have thoroughly revamped their defense this offseason, spending a massive chunk of money on the unit in free agency.

That being said, there are still some areas of the defense that can use some patching, and that includes cornerback depth.

The Patriots already had Second-Team All-Pro Christian Gonzalez at the position, and they signed Carlton Davis to play opposite him. However, beyond those two, New England is very limited at the cornerback spot.

The Pats did select Kobee Minor in the seventh round of the NFL Draft, but expecting such a late pick to produce right off the bat is unrealistic.

Fortunately, the Patriots still have massive cap room, and there are numerous intriguing veteran corners remaining on the open market. That includes former New England star Stephon Gilmore, who once won a Defensive Player of the Year award with the Pats back in 2019.

Gilmore spent 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings, registering 56 tackles, an interception and nine passes defended in 15 games. He also managed a respectable 63.9 overall grade at Pro Football Focus. Is the 34-year-old the same player he was years ago? Certainly not, but he would definitely represent a nice depth addition for the Patriots.

Of course, the question is whether or not Gilmore would want to join New England. He may be searching for a full-time starting role somewhere, and that would be tough to get with the Pats with both Gonzalez and Davis on the roster. Not only that, but Gilmore may prefer to join a proven contender.

For the Patriots, though, Davis has historically been very injury prone, and Gilmore can always play the nickel role. So, either way, the former first-round pick would probably see extended playing time.

Gilmore can absolutely be had on an affordable one-year contract, so if he would be open to returning to Foxborough, it would comprise one heck of an addition for Mike Vrabel's club.