5 things to know about Colts’ new CB Stephon Gilmore
The Indianapolis Colts recently made perhaps the biggest move of its 2022 offseason by signing free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore to a two-year deal.
The contract totals $23 million in those two years, with $14 million guaranteed.
Gilmore, 31, lands in Indianapolis as the very likely CB1 for a talented young secondary that has been upgraded for this upcoming season in both starting and depth positions.
Veteran additions such as Gilmore, and recent fellow newcomer Rodney McLeod at safety should bring great leadership, experience and a history of winning into the locker room.
Here, we’ll have a look at five things Colts fans should know about the newest shutdown corner coming soon to Indianapolis:
Former Top-10 Draft Pick
Gilmore was highly touted even before becoming one of the premier lock-down cornerbacks of the NFL. Gilmore, a product and native of South Carolina played his college ball for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
After college, Gilmore attended the 2012 NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis and participated in all defensive back drills grading at or near top five in every major category. This performance solidified him as one of the top defensive backs coming out of college that year.
Ultimately, Gilmore would end up being selected No. 10 overall by the Buffalo Bills, as only the second cornerback taken that year, trailing just Morris Claiborne of the Dallas Cowboys. Gilmore would go on to out-perform even that high of a draft slot late into his career.
Super Bowl Champion
After five seasons and one Pro-Bowl selection (2016) in Buffalo, Gilmore was not franchise tagged by the Bills and ended up signing a five-year, $65 million deal with the New England Patriots when he hit free agency
Gilmore would go on to have his best seasons playing for the Evil Empire as a consistent, top-tier level starting corner. He would go on to earn three more Pro Bowl nods and would wind up earning All-Pro First-Team selections in both 2018 and 2019.
Undoubtedly Gilmore’s greatest moment also came at the end of the 2018 season, when the Patriots went on to defeat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 to become Super Bowl Champions. In the fourth quarter of that game, it was Gilmore himself who intercepted an errant throw from Rams quarterback Jared Goff to ultimately seal a victory and championship for his team.
2019 NFL Defensive Player of The Year
Gilmore would take his accolades one step further just one year after obtaining a Super Bowl ring. In his best season as a pro in 2019, Gilmore piled up the stats and takeaways further asserting his position as one of the most dominant threats in any secondary.
On the season, Gilmore compiled an impressive 53 total tackles and 20 passes defended. However, the big category where Gilmore made his name was in takeaways. On the year, Gilmore tied for the league lead with six interceptions grabbed, while also taking two of those picks to the house for touchdowns.
These stats and accolades as another All-Pro First-Team selection were good enough to make Gilmore the NFL’s Defensive Player of The Year. Gilmore was the first New England Patriot to win the award, and the first corner to win since Hall of Famer Charles Woodson won the award 10 years earlier in 2009.
A Lot Left In The Tank
While his time with the Patriots ended due to a lingering quad injury across multiple seasons, an injury which Gilmore stated himself that the team mishandled, he was unceremoniously shipped off to the Carolina Panthers for the low price of just a 2023 sixth-round pick.
As a sort of homecoming year back in Carolina for him, Gilmore still had an effective season even while hampered by injury for a struggling Panthers defense. Gilmore even managed his fifth Pro Bowl nod as an alternate selection.
While appearing in just nine games as a Panther, Gilmore still managed two picks, and 19 total tackles, while being graded out as the third-best corner in man coverage (85.6) per PFF.
It’s easy to think another full offseason removed from his previous injuries will only help Gilmore to stay healthy and recapture some of his former All-Pro form. The ability to add even a fraction of that level of play to an already stacked defense in Indy looking to make a real title run this year will go a long way to achieve that goal.
Brother Plays at Marshall
Gilmore isn’t the only football player in his family. His brother, Steven, is currently a cornerback at Marshall, playing for the Thundering Herd. He just completed his senior season and is eligible for the 2022 NFL draft.
1
1
1
1
