Cowboys Free Agency: Sign Stephon Gilmore To Team With Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland?
Despite a disappointing end to their 2023 season, the Dallas Cowboys will enter 2024 with high expectations.
From team owner Jerry Jones’ pseudo-vote of confidence for head coach Mike McCarthy, to their desire to eradicate the bitter taste of a 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers on wild card weekend, the Cowboys appear intent on fielding the best team they can for the upcoming season.
Will that include investing in the retention of veteran reserves?
The answer to that question may be found through the manner in which they approach soon-to-be free agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Will cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Trevon Diggs remain together in the Dallas Cowboys defensive backfield in 2024?
Cred: USA Today Images
Appearing in all 17 games for Dallas this season, the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent finished the campaign with 68 total tackles, 13 passes-defensed, two interceptions and one forced fumble. While those numbers may not not illuminate the Cowboys team stat sheet, Gilmore’s contributions to the team were as much about leadership as on-field prowess.
Having been acquired from the Indianapolis Colts via trade (in exchange for a compensatory fifth round selection) in March 2023, Gilmore was expected to serve as an experienced presence in the Cowboys secondary opposite top cornerback Trevon Diggs. Unfortunately, an ACL tear during one-on-one practice drills in September put an abrupt end to Diggs’ season. Accordingly, Gilmore was once again thrust into a prominent role in helping to keep Dallas’ cornerback room focused.
Despite still having the talent to lead the Cowboys’ secondary, second-year cornerback DaRon Bland emerged as their primary option at the position, breaking up 15 passes and leading the NFL with nine interceptions. taking on Diggs’ aggressive play style in the secondary. After all, Diggs led all cornerbacks in 2021 with 11 interceptions, en route to a first-team All-Pro selection. Though he took a statistical dip in 2022 (logging just three picks), the 23-year-old is still considered one of the top players at his position
While both Bland and Diggs are most comfortable when patrolling the perimeter on the right side, it is hard to envision a scenario in which both corners are not starting on the edges of the team’s defensive backfield in 2024.
Therefore, the question remains “What to do with Gilmore?”
Even at age 33, he has been among the top players at his position for several years. The former South Carolina standout spent his first five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2016. However, Gilmore developed into an elite defensive back after signing a lucrative free-agent deal with the New England Patriots in 2017.
During his four seasons with the Pats, he was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 after leading the league with six interceptions and 20 passes-defensed. He also extended his Pro Bowl selections to four, received two first-team All-Pro selections, and was a member of the team that won a Super Bowl title in Super Bowl LIII.
Gilmore was traded to the Carolina Panthers in Oct. 2021, where he received a fifth Pro Bowl selection. He signed with Indianapolis prior to the start of the 2022 season. Though he took a bit of a statistical dip from his days in New England, Gilmore finished his only season with the Colts having compiled 66 total tackles, 11 passes-defensed and two interceptions.
Though his on-field skills, along with his leadership abilities, make him a strong consideration, the Cowboys may find Gilmore’s asking price a bit high, based on the potential return on investment. His 2024 valuation, per OverTheCap, is estimated at $7.6 million annually. Conversely, Dallas is entering the new league year with the intent of clearing cap space, and may look to allocate that money to greater positions of need.
In light of signing Diggs to a five-year, $97 million contract extension last July, he is seemingly entrenched in the Cowboys’ plans at the position. Unless they are able to find a trade partner for the 2021 All-Pro after June 1 — a move which would earn them approximately $11 million in cap savings — Diggs looks to be staying in Dallas, at least, for the immediate future. Given Bland’s emergence, along with his far-more palatable $1.06 million cap number, keeping Gilmore in the Cowboys fold may ultimately be too expensive for their liking heading into 2024.
