Help could potentially be on the way for the Minnesota Vikings secondary, as free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore is reportedly heading to the Twin Cities to meet with the team on Monday, according to NFL insider Josina Anderson on Saturday.
Gilmore will turn 34 in September and he’s coming off a 2023 season with the Dallas Cowboys where he finished with the 35th-best PFF defensive grade among qualifying NFL corners.
Drafted in the first round by the Buffalo Bills in 2012, Gilmore is a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a five-time Pro Bowler, and a two-time First-Team All-Pro. Two of the best years of his pro career also came when he and current Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores were both members of the New England Patriots.
Stephon Gilmore would be a huge addition for the Minnesota Vikings defense
Heading into Minnesota’s training camp this summer, second-year cornerback Mekhi Blackmon was expected to play a significant role in the team’s secondary during the 2024 season. However, Blackmon tore his ACL in the Vikings’ very first full-team training camp practice, and that created a big void in the team’s cornerback room.
Minnesota has added some new faces to its secondary since Blackmon’s injury, like Bobby McCain and Fabian Moreau, but signing someone like Gilmore has the potential to make a much larger impact.
With the Cowboys last year, the veteran defensive back started all 17 regular-season games and one playoff matchup. In those 18 contests, he accumulated 73 total tackles, 13 pass breakups, and two interceptions.
Gilmore made around $10 million with Dallas last season, and if he’s looking to make a similar amount in 2024, then that’s something the Vikings can probably afford. Currently, Minnesota has a little more than $18.6 million in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com.
Minnesota essentially has the perfect setup for Gilmore with the ability to pay him, provide him with a starting role, and give him the chance to play in a defensive scheme that he’s already excelled in. Will this turn out to be enough for the Vikings to convince him to agree to suit up in purple and gold this season?
