Patriots All-Pro Won’t Play Under Current Contract
The New England Patriots have an All-Pro on the roster, but the veteran won’t play under his current contract. Well, that’s what Ian Rapoport from NFL Network says.
Rapoport was a guest on CBS Sports Radio’s Zach Gelb Show and talked about Stephon Gilmore and his contract situation. Let’s just that his report wasn’t positive.
Gilmore skipped OTAs and he was nowhere to be seen on Monday. Patriots players took part in activities on the first day of mandatory mini-camp, but the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year wasn’t there. Maybe the 30-year-old will hold out unless he gets a new deal.
Gilmore will make $7 million in 2021, and this below market value for players like him. New England offered him a raise last season to keep him around.
Maybe the team will have to make a similar offer to bring Gilmore on the field. That’s what Rapoport said. He said Gilmore is “not going to play on his final year of his deal in New England.”
The Patriots All-Pro wants a better deal
Rapoport said he doesn’t see any scenario where the cornerback plays under his current contract. He also acknowledged that there is a chance New England trades him. Pay attention to the segment.
New England is building a Super-Bowl-caliber defense. Will they do well without Gilmore?
J.C. Jackson will probably be No.2 corner and stacks up interceptions while opposing signal-callers avoid throwing in Gilmore’s direction. Wonder why? He takes away their primary option. Something like that.
Head coach Bill Belichick has the final word. The Patriots head coach has received many questions about Gilmore. His answers? You know Bill.
“Yeah, like I said, we’re kind of scrambling to get things going this morning,” he said recently. “So, I didn’t really get a chance to see everybody myself, so we’ll see where we’re at.”
The same reporter pressed Belichick on the issue, but the coach didn’t get specific.
“Well, there’s a lot of players we haven’t seen in OTAs and all the players are important and we’d like to have all of them.”
