Prior to joining the New England Patriots, Stephon Gilmore was a very good cornerback. But now, after spending three seasons with the Patriots, he has become elite.
Gilmore cites New England's continuity as a reason for his upward trajectory:
“Me in Buffalo, the first five years, I had four different defensive coordinators, three different head coaches, so I was kind of trying to learn each and every year,” Gilmore said, according to Chris Mason of Mass Live. “Once I got to New England, I got some consistency and the same guys around, same coaches. I feel like that is why my game took off more.”
Oddly enough, Gilmore did not get off to a great start with the Pats.
After signing a five-year, $65 million contract with the Patriots in March 2017, his first season was actually underwhelming, as he played in 13 games and logged 50 tackles, a couple of interceptions, and nine passes defended.
However, the following year, Gilmore settled in and had a breakout campaign, appearing in every contest and registering 45 tackles, a pair of picks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and 20 passes defended. As a result, Gilmore made the Pro Bowl and earned a First-Team All-Pro selection.
He was even better this past season, racking up 53 tackles, six interceptions, a fumble recovery, 20 passes defended, and two defensive touchdowns, once again making the Pro Bowl and notching First-Team All-Pro honors.
The 29-year-old entered the NFL as a first-round pick of the Bills back in 2012 and spent five years in Buffalo, earning one trip to the Pro Bowl.
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