The New England Patriots have spent the last few years making small moves to free up cap room. The latest is the move of LeGarrette Blount to the Philadelphia Eagles, one of the best news for the Pats. Although the move is big for the Pats, it only moves them so far. As with other positions, there are other teams wanting to add players that can fill roles.
As the NFL offseason is in full swing, some of the league’s biggest stars are in the news as they look for new places to call home. And while some of the big names are not yet on the market, there are some draft picks who are trying to figure out where to go.
Bill Belichick has a serious problem with the New England Patriots, and it’s not that he doesn’t have Tom Brady. Belichick began the mandatory minicamp without one of the Patriots’ best players: Defensive Player of the Year 2019, Stephon Gilmore. It seems Gilmore is hoping for a new contract from the Pats, and he’s proven he’s worth it. But without a new contract, Gilmore is already being recruited by another star: Jalen Ramsey.Bill Belichick and his Patriots players are without Stephon Gilmore at camp
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick at a joint training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars on the 9th. August 2017. | Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Belichick and the Patriots’ mandatory minicamp began on the 14th. June, and while many Patriots players showed up, Gilmore wasn’t there. I don’t expect him to be there, Belichick said, according to ESPN. We just focus on the guys that are there. Gilmore is in the final year of his five-year, $65 million contract. However, he is expected to make only $7.5 million in 2021. According to ESPN, the Patriots have deferred $4.5 million of his salary from 2021 to 2020. Gilmore’s contract averages $13 million a year, which was great when he signed in 2017. But for now, he ranks 12th among NFL cornerbacks, as Jalen Ramsey earns the most with $20 million a year and Marlon Humphrey is right behind him with $19.5 million. Before commenting on Gilmore, Belichick avoided questions about the cornerback the day before, reports ESPN. So it’s not clear if the team plans to pay him or not.
Jalen Ramsey is already recruiting a star player for the Patriots
If the Patriots aren’t willing to give Gilmore the money he hopes to make, Belichick might trade him for a few good assets. With that in mind, Ramsey, the Los Angeles Rams’ first-team All-Pro 2020 star, sent some tweets to the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year. Yo [Gilmore], how’s my man? Ramsey tweeted. He added: Mookie Betts] was traded from Boston to Los Angeles and won a ring! It was great. What’s your opinion? Of course, some were quick to point out that Gilmore had already won a ring with the Patriots, as had Betts with the Red Sox before he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. These are the people from Ramsey tweeted: For all the wise guys out there: I know he has a ring. He might want two, lol. If Belichick trades Gilmore, he probably won’t go to the Rams. As ProFootballTalk notes, Los Angeles no longer has expensive draft value for the next two seasons after trading for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford, Ramsey, Aaron Donald and several other players also have significant future expenses, which could make it difficult for the Rams to not only trade Gilmore, but give him the contract he wants. But whatever Gilmore does in the future, he’s made his money.
Stephon Gilmore deserves to be paid by Bill Belichick and the Patriots…. or the otherteam
. Whether it’s Belichick or someone else, Gilmore deserves to be paid. Ramsey, Humphrey, Tre’Davius White, Darius Slay and Byron Jones are all in the top 5 highest average salaries for cornerbacks in 2021, meaning they all earn more on average than Gilmore. None of these players became Defensive Player of the Year like Gilmore, and only one got to the Pro Bowl four times and first team All-Pro twice like Gilmore, and that’s Ramsey. Although Gilmore has been in the league longer, he has more interceptions and picks in his career than any of the players above. Take a look:
- Stephon Gilmore: .411 total steals and 25 interceptions in 124 games.
- Jalen Ramsey: .287 total steals and 11 steals in 75 games.
- Marlon Humphrey: .218 total steals and 8 interceptions in 61 games.
- Tre’Davius White: .238 total steals and 15 interceptions in 61 games.
- Darius Slay: .406 total steals and 20 interceptions in 118 games.
- Byron Jones: .386 total tackles and four interceptions in 93 games
No, given the total number of games played, it’s not a comparison, but it does prove that Gilmore, the only Super Bowl champion in this group, has made his money. Let’s see if Belichick and the Patriots pay him. If not, I’m sure there’s another team that wants him. Pro Football Reference statistics; Spotraccontract numbers COMPARED TO: Bill Belichick once punished a Patriots player for a tweet he sent to Chad Johnson
