Chiefs Named 'Best Possible Fit' for Free Agent CB Stephon Gilmore

A recent article singles out the reigning champs as the go-to destination for the five-time Pro Bowl cornerback.

October 8, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore (21) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Even with a trio of Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams leading the way, do the Kansas City Chiefs still need help at the cornerback spot? One outlet believes so, and there's a case being made for a big name to come to the rescue.

In a recent article for The 33rd Team, Marcus Mosher listed ideal team fits for some of the best free agents left on the market. Kansas City was his pick for Stephon Gilmore, who is now over a decade into his NFL career.

Citing the reigning back-to-back champs as a great destination for Gilmore, Mosher believes he'd help complete the cornerback room in the post-L'Jarius Sneed era.

"Teams needing a one-year rental at cornerback should be thrilled to sign Gilmore, and the Kansas City Chiefs are the best possible fit," Mosher wrote. "The loss of L’Jarius Snead looms large, and the Chiefs hope Jaylen Watson or Joshua Williams can step up in his absence. Gilmore would provide a baseline of production for a team leaning more on its defense to win games."

Mosher also alludes to Gilmore's experience as something that would come in handy.

"Gilmore's addition could be huge for a team like the Chiefs, which is searching for one more starting-caliber cornerback," Mosher continued. "It also doesn’t hurt that he has plenty of experience playing in bad-weather games from his time in Buffalo and New England, which is a nice little bonus. The Chiefs trying to complete the three-peat, so adding a reliable veteran such as Gilmore is a no-brainer."

What would the 2024 version of Stephon Gilmore offer?

Even with him set to turn 34 at the beginning of the season, Gilmore remains a solid option. The five-time Pro Bowler isn't what he used to be with the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers, yet he appears to have something left in the tank. Just last year, he played in all 17 regular-season contests for the Dallas Cowboys and surrendered 6.9 yards per target with an 82.7 passer rating. He also posted a low 5.6 missed tackle percentage.

Advanced metrics are fans of Gilmore's game, too. Last year, Pro Football Focus gave him grades of 72 or higher for coverage, tackling, run defense and overall defense. The former first-round pick's 72.3 regular-season coverage grade ranked 35th among all cornerbacks with 20% or more of maximum snaps played.

It's clear that until proven otherwise, Gilmore can fill a role for an NFL team and might even be capable of starting. If the Chiefs decide that adding a one-year rental is a wise move, it'd be hard to disagree with their reasoning. After all, Watson and Williams are more than respectable in their 2023 roles but are unproven in an expanded one.

Considering Nazeeh Johnson is returning from ACL surgery and Kamal Hadden was added on Day 3 of the draft, though, it'd make for a crowded cornerback room. That's without even taking into account Chamarri Conner's versatility in nickel packages. There's no such thing as too much depth on the surface, although adding more would have a ripple effect on multiple other players.

For that reason, it might be wise for Kansas City to simply bank on what it has for now and avoid expressing interest in Gilmore until it's necessary.

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