BREAKING NEWS: The days of sitting back and being passive for the Carolina Panthers are over.
On Wednesday afternoon, according to sources, the Panthers and the New England Patriots agreed to a trade, sending two-time All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore to the Panthers in exchange for a 2023 sixth-round draft pick.
News of New England’s plans to part ways with the 2019 AP Defensive Player of the Year, came to light early Wednesday morning. The Patriots and Gilmore could not agree to terms on a restructured contract. Both sides said their public goodbyes.
“We enjoyed so much success together and you have been an incredible inspiration for my individual achievements,” Gilmore wrote on Twitter. “… To Mr. [Robert] Kraft, the coaches, and the organization thank you for providing me with this platform and allowing me to be part of greatness. Most of all I want to thank my teammates who lined up next to me every Sunday with one goal in mind.”
The Patriots head coach Bill Belichick complimented Gilmore in a statement as a “true professional and class act.” He also stated that the decision to cut ties with the cornerback was mutual.
Gilmore continues to recover from a torn quad surgery that took place in December. He is expected to be able to play in the upcoming weeks, but cannot come off the physically unable to perform list until after Week 6. Gilmore will be eligible to make his return in Week 7, when Carolina plays Daniel Jones and the New York Giants.
Gilmore will not provide help right away, but will provide a stabilizing force when he returns, which is much needed with the Panthers secondary.
The Panthers are currently without 2021 eighth overall pick Jaycee Horn, who could be out for the season with a broken right foot. They are also without the services of nickel defender Myles Hartsfield (wrist injury) and starting safety Juston Burris (groin injury). Linebacker Shaq Thompson will miss some time with a foot injury he sustained on Sunday in the loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
The 31-year-old Gilmore has a base salary of $7 million coming to him in 2021 after signing a five-year, $65 million contract four seasons ago with New England and being advanced $5 million of his 2021 earnings in the 2020 season. Moving on from the veteran will provide the Patriots with an additional $5.8 million in cap room.
You could see something brewing when Gilmore did not attend the Patriots’ mandatory minicamp back in June, while making it public that he was unhappy with his current contract. He tied a career low, with one pick in the 2020 season, playing in just 11 of the 16 games, missing time with COVID-19 and the quad injury.
With Gilmore out at the start of this year, J.C. Jackson and Jalen Mills have stepped in as the Patriots starting cornerbacks, with Jonathan Jones as the number one option in the slot position.
Gilmore is making a homecoming of sorts. He was raised in Rock Hill, South Carolina, about 26 miles away from the Panthers current facilities. The Panthers will be relocating their headquarters to Rock Hill within the next 24 months.
