The New England Patriots might be dangling 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore in trade talks in an effort to move up the 2021 NFL Draft board.
Dianna Russini of ESPN reported TuesdayĀ she spoke to a team in the top 10 that revealed it had talks with New England. Russini suggested it is possible the Patriots include Gilmore in a package to move into the top 10:
.@diannaESPN thinks the Patriots could deal Stephon Gilmore in order to move into the top 10 of the NFL draft.
"I did speak to a team in the top 10 who told me that they've had calls with New England." pic.twitter.com/ZceNEyGtnn
ā Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 27, 2021
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated had also reported the Patriots were sniffing around in the top 10. He later added New England and the Carolina Panthers ā owners of the No. 8 pick ā have done some āgroundworkā as to what a possible deal could look like.
Might such a groundwork include Gilmore? Well, it's a bit complicated.
Gilmore is in the final season of his current contract with New England. Any team acquiring the Patriots cornerback in a deal would likely be committed to giving him an extension. Only, the extension bit could be complicated.
Gilmore has every right to demand big money. He has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2018 and 2019. But he is also entering his age-31 season and is coming off surgery for a partially torn quad suffered toward the tail end of the 2020 season.
The Patriots could possibly hope to move Gilmore as a means of alleviating the draft capital they might have to give up to move into the top 10. But it's certainly possible opposing teams would prefer the draft capital, especially a young team like the Panthers.
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