The New England Patriots made a shocking roster move on Wednesday when they decided to part ways with Stephon Gilmore, and they got nothing in return for the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday that the Patriots have released Gilmore after the two sides could not agree to a restructured contract. The 31-year-old confirmed the news with a statement thanking the team.
— The Gilly Lock (@BumpNrunGilm0re) October 6, 2021
Gilmore was due a base salary of $7 million this season, and New England is just barely under the salary cap. The move will save the team more than $5 million and allow Gilmore to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Gilmore began the season on injured reserve. He suffered a season-ending quad injury last year. The market for Gilmore will be “robust,” according to Schefter.
The market for Stephon Gilmore, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, is expected to be robust. Multiple teams are expected to be interested, and the 31-year-old Gilmore should be recovered from his quad injury in the coming weeks.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 6, 2021
It’s possible Gilmore’s contract dispute with the Patriots played a role in their decision to have him begin the year on IR. There had been reports that New England was open to trading Gilmore, but they opted for the outright release instead.
Gilmore made it clear during the offseason that he wanted more money from the Patriots. Now that their defense has played well through the early part of the year, Bill Belichick may have felt the Pro Bowler was expendable.
Believe it or not, the Patriots releasing Gilmore may not have been the most shocking NFL roster move we saw this week.
