With training camp just around the bend, Green Bay has already completed the majority of its offseason preparation. However, there are still voids that might be filled, one of which is the cornerback position following Jaire Alexander’s release.
With that in mind, the team is encouraged to sign former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, who is still looking for a new team in free agency.
Stephon Gilmore. Emerges as Free Agent Target for Packers
Gilmore, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, has enjoyed a long and successful career as one of the league’s top cornerbacks. After playing for the Buffalo Bills and being selected to the Pro Bowl in 2016, Gilmore signed with the New England Patriots, where he rapidly established himself as arguably the league’s top defensive back.
Gilmore rebounded from a disappointing rookie season in 2017 to earn Pro Bowl and All-Pro First Team accolades in 2018. He improved on it in 2019 by having one of the best individual seasons by a cornerback in NFL history, with 53 tackles, six interceptions (two of which he returned for touchdowns), and 20 passes batted. Gilmore’s efforts earned him Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Gilmore has played for the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and Minnesota Vikings since leaving the Patriots, and while he isn’t the same player he once was, he is still a solid cornerback who can hold his own on the outside.
With Alexander gone, the Packers might use some help at cornerback, prompting Matthew Schmidt of Yardbarker to recommend Gilmore as a free agent target.
“Gilmore may not be the same superstar who won the Defensive Player of the Year award back in 2019, but he still managed a productive campaign with the Minnesota Vikings last season, registering 56 tackles, an interception and nine passes defended,” according to Schmidt.
“For the second year in a row, the 34-year-old remains available well into the summer, with the veteran likely waiting for the right opportunity. It’s difficult to imagine a greater fit than the Packers right now.”
Should the Packers sign Stephon Gilmore?
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