Report: Patriots Give Stephon Gilmore Pay Raise For 2020 Season

September 11, 2020

The New England Patriots and Stephon Gilmore have agreed to a nice salary increase from what he was earning last year. The Patriots have been working on trying to fill the holes that were left after last year. It has been tough. Many of the Patriots players have either walked to another team or decided to opt out of the 2020 season. But they have made one move recently that should be known.

The Patriots have recently given Stephon Gilmore a nice salary increase. He was the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year and a huge part of the Patriot’s defense. The Patriots are on a whole different level now. Tom Brady has left and it has been interesting to see how this will change the offense.

Gilmore originally signed a 5 year $65 million contract with the Patriots back in 2017. He was going to get $10.5 million in salary this season. Now, just a few days before the Patriots game against the Miami Dolphins, the raised his salary to $15.5 million, according to multiple sources.

Report: Patriots Give Stephon Gilmore Pay Raise For 2020 Season

Patriots gave reigning Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore a significant raise for this season today, bumping his salary from $10.5 million to $15.5M with chance to earn up to $17.5M in incentives even as he has two years left on his contract, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 11, 2020

Gilmore’s salary of $10.5 million salary for 2020 was already almost the highest of any players. That is, besides guard Joe Thuney (who is currently on the franchise tag). Still, his average annual value was behind only 12 NFL cornerbacks. He was behind Ramsey, White, Darius Slay, Byron Jones, Xavien Howard, James Bradberry, Patrick Peterson, Trae Waynes, Marcus Peters, A.J. Bouye and Kyle Fuller.

It seems like that, given the huge amounts of opt outs the Patriots have had so far this off season, giving one of their best players some extra money was a smary move.

Gilmore, the almost 30 year old CB, was at the top of the NFL in passes defended last season at 20. He also tied White and Minnesota Vikings safety Anthony Harris for the league in interceptions at 6. His contract is looking to end at the end of the 2021 season.

What do you think about this move from the Patriots? Do you think they did the right thing?