Cornerback Stephon Gilmore is continuing his tour of the NFL, with the Colts reportedly trading the five-time Pro Bowler to the Cowboys for a compensatory pick, per Adam Schefter.
The Cowboys were strong against the pass last season, but Gilmore provides a strong complement to Trevon Diggs on the outside. Gilmore experience could also help a Cowboys team looking to finally make a run in what projects to be a relatively weak NFC.
The move clears just under $10 million of cap space for the Colts, who seem to be tacitly embracing the rebuild this offseason. They're projected to take a quarterback with the fourth overall pick (if they stand pat) after running through a string of veterans in recent seasons.
Per Ian Rapoport, Gilmore is coming off a meniscus repair he "quietly" underwent last offseason. Gilmore posted an 81.1 coverage grade, per PFF, his best grade since 2019.
Last offseason, Stephon Gilmore quietly had a meniscus repair, fixing his knee for good after years of pain. It led to a stellar season in Indy, kick-starting a second act to his career. https://t.co/l9BbbhoLaK
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2023
Stephon Gilmore trade details
Cowboys get:
- CB Stephon Gilmore
Colts get:
- 2023 fifth-round compensatory pick (No. 176 overall)
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The Cowboys received two fifth-round compensatory picks this season, and according to Todd Archer they traded 176, meaning they'll hold onto 169.
Gilmore is a bit of a rental, and the Colts traded him for a rental price. He has just one year left on the contract he signed with Indianapolis last year.
This will be Gilmore's fourth team in four years, as he has moved from the Patriots to the Panthers to the Colts to, now, the Cowboys. However, unlike his relatively lackluster 2020 and 2021 seasons, in which he battled injuries, Gilmore was excellent in 2022.
The 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, Gilmore had a pair of picks last season and looked like the cornerback teams feared to throw to in 2019. Now, paired with Diggs on Dallas, teams will have to pick their poison.
Stephon Gilmore contract
Gilmore is entering the second year of a two-year deal he signed with the Colts last year.
The terms were two years for $20 million, with $14 million guaranteed. His cap number is $9.9 million this year.
Gilmore is entering his age-33 season this year, so he won't be shadowing A.J. Brown in the NFC East. But the Cowboys will be able to see he has left in the tank early next year.
The trade clears cap space for the rebuilding Colts, and it gives the Cowboys more depth at cornerback.
