Amid Stephon Gilmore’s uncertain long-term future with the New England Patriots, Hall of Fame cornerback Ty Law believes his former team should do what it takes to keep the star defensive talent.

Gilmore, who is currently on the PUP list due to a quad injury, remains on par to become a free agent at the end of the season. The 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner expressed his desire to sign a new contract deal ahead of the season, but such an agreement was never close to coming to fruition.

On the other side, the Patriots reportedly were interested in trading Gilmore, especially after he held out of mandatory minicamp in the offseason.

For Law, he firmly believes that Gilmore should be due another blockbuster contract deal from the Patriots, which he spoke further about to WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.”

“He is one of the guys that really deserves to get paid and be paid what he’s worth,” Law said. “You can’t find guys to go out there and say, ‘OK, you got ‘em.’ That is very rare.

“How much more leverage are you going to have when you’re the [Defensive Player of the Year]? First of all, as a corner to get Defensive Player of the Year, he’s earned it. It was at the end of his first contract. So, yes, I want to get a new contract. Am I going to risk going out there not getting paid, because it’s probably going to be his last one.”

Law is one player who can relate to Gilmore’s current frustrations with the Patriots front office. In 2004, Law was in a notable contract extension standoff with the Patriots, as he aspired to be the highest-paid corner in the league. But talks between the two sides became so tense that Law publicly noted that he “no longer wanted to be a Patriot,” although he wound up playing in another season with the team before being released a year later.

Gilmore’s contract dilemma with the Patriots has not reached the level of tension that Law famously had with the team 17 years ago. But as it stands, the veteran cornerback is currently in his final season with New England.