Patriots Are Shopping CB Stephon Gilmore, 4 Potential Landing Spots

The 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore is reportedly being shopped by the New England Patriots. Now that Cam Newton has turned into a signing dud, the folks in Foxborough have decided to move some of their valuable assets around in the hopes of building a better team for next year.

Could Stephon Gilmore be on the move? 👀 pic.twitter.com/SsSwBPLxIp

— PFF (@PFF) October 27, 2020

We won’t spend any time arguing whether Gilmore is worth keeping because the Patriots have already proven they can get rid of anyone not named Tom Brady and still continue winning. Patriots fans nearly lost their minds when Bill Belichick sent pass rusher Chandler Jones packing a few years back, but everything worked out just fine.

Here are four landing spots that could be a good fit for Gilmore:

1. Seahawks

With the worst pass defense in the NFL, Seattle needs reinforcement in their secondary. Now. The Seahawks have been a one-man offensive show this season, and the defense has done little to get the ball back into the hands of star QB Russell Wilson. A premier pass rusher such as Gilmore could help some lackluster play in the secondary. At least he can ensure that receivers won’t be wide open every play.

2. Jaguars

The Jaguars have never found a replacement for All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Their offense can put points on the board, but their defense can’t guard a soul. A trade for Steph Gilmore could offer some opportunity for coverage sacks.

3. Cardinals

When Arizona fans on Twitter saw the addition of star wideout DeAndre Hopkins, they immediately had hopes that the team would add even more options on offense. With Kyler Murray and D-Hop firing on all cylinders, the Arizona offense is in fine form. Their defense, however, has not kept pace.

The fact that Arizona is still in the hunt for the NFC West division title is a testament to the offense. The defense, by contrast, is ranked 19th in the league. They could use a recent DPOY to replace Patrick Peterson, who will likely depart next year. It also wouldn’t hurt to have Gilmore play alongside Budda Baker. Baker is young and could learn from an experienced player like Gilmore.

4. Raiders

Jon Gruden and the Raiders should make a play to win now. With the trades they’ve made in their first year in Las Vegas, they can afford to be aggressive. Derek Carr hasn’t be bad at all, but he can’t make up for the putrid defense, which is ranked 28th in the NFL.

It doesn’t matter what Carr can do if the team can’t defend. The Patriots have trusted Gilmore to shutdown some of the best receivers on the field. Gilmore could put more pressure on the quarterback and help patch up the Raiders secondary.

A word of caution for all teams looking to trade for Stephon Gilmore: making a move for a star corner is risky. It’s difficult to predict how effective he’ll be in another defensive system. Gilmore could be a game changer, or he could become just another piece of an average defense. Winning NFL teams are hard to come by, and they often don’t stay at the top for long. Owners should stay aggressive if they hope to compete. Making a play for Stephon Gilmore may just be the kind of aggressive move that keeps a team in the running.