Aidan Hutchinson, the Detroit Lions’ defensive end, could be a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate. With a huge need at cornerback, Jared Ramsey of The Detroit Free Press advocated that the Lions sign veteran Stephon Gilmore, who has already won the honor.
Ramsey identified Gilmore as one of six Lions cornerbacks “to watch” this offseason.
“Long been considered one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, even taking home a Defensive Player of the Year in addition to his two All-Pros and five Pro Bowls, and delivered a solid 2023 season for the NFC East-winning Cowboys,” Ramsey said in a statement. “Although he is in the last years of his career, he still showed he can be a No. 1 corner with championship pedigree.”
Gilmore recorded 68 total tackles, 13 pass defenses, and 2 interceptions for the Dallas Cowboys in 2023.
He was named first-team All-Pro with the New England Patriots in 2018 and 2019. Gilmore led the NFL in interceptions and pass defenses in 2019, earning the Defensive Player of the Year honor.
Gilmore began his career as a first-round choice of the Buffalo Bills in 2012. During the 2017 offseason, the Patriots signed him to a 5-year contract worth $65 million.
How Stephon Gilmore Could Fit With the Lions
Gilmore will turn 34 early in the 2024 season, in September. So he isn’t a long-term cornerback option.
However, as Ramsey reported, Gilmore continued to perform effectively for the Cowboys during the 2023 season. With 1,002 defensive snaps, he not only led all Cowboys cornerbacks, but also all Cowboys defenders.
It was Gilmore’s fourth season with more than 1,000 defensive snaps.
Despite his substantial playing time at 33 years old, Gilmore finished 27th in Pro Football Focus’ player grades among 75 cornerbacks who played at least 50% of their team’s defensive snaps in 2023.
According to PFF, the only Lions cornerback (out of 75 eligible cornerbacks) who performed better than Gilmore in 2023 was rookie slot cornerback Brian Branch.
Lions Signing Gilmore Would Unite CB With his Brother, Steven
Another intriguing scenario involves the Lions potentially signing the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year winner.
The team already has a Gilmore on its roster.
“Signing in Detroit could also reunite him with his brother, Steven, who joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and made the team,” Ramsey said in a statement.
Steven Gilmore, an undrafted rookie, played only two defensive snaps and 12 special teams snaps for the Lions. However, if he remained on the Detroit roster in 2024, the Lions could have both Gilmore brothers in the secondary.
On March 5, the Detroit Lions re-signed veteran cornerback Emmanuel Moseley. Moseley did, however, play as much as Steven Gilmore in 2023.
Moseley missed the first four games of last season while rehabbing from a left ACL tear he suffered with the San Francisco 49ers in 2022. Then, two snaps into his Lions career, he tore his right ACL.
