Stephon Gilmore’s status with the New England Patriots has been complicated, to say the least.
The 30-year-old hasn’t participated in any offseason activities for the team, but he has been on the PUP list following a season-ending quad injury from 2020. He’s entering the final year on his five-year contract and is only set to make $7 million — which he isn’t willing to play for.
Despite the fact the Gilmore has been in this holdout for months, Bill Belichick is business as usual when discussing it. On Monday morning, Belichick said Gilmore is day-to-day on the PUP list and avoided any context on the cornerback’s contract situation.
Stephon Gilmore (quad) is "day-to-day" but is on the PUP list, per Bill Belichick. Gilmore, of course, has also expressed discontent with his contract.
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) August 23, 2021
“I know Steph has been working extremely hard. I see him in here all the time,” Belichick said, transcribed by WEEI. “He’s doing other things while we’re practicing, so we don’t really see him on the practice field, but he’s been doing everything he can do. And the things he hasn’t been able to do, he hasn’t been able to do. I’d say it’s day-to-day. We’ll just keep trying to put days together and stack them together and when he’s ready to be out there, then he’ll be out there. And if he’s not ready to be out there, then he’ll work on the things that he can work on to try and get ready to be out there. We’ll just take it day-to-day.”
He continued by saying he won’t push Gilmore to play until he’s ready.
“Again, I know he’s doing what he can,” he said. “I know we’re doing what we can. And when he’s ready, he’s ready. And if he’s not ready then I don’t think him being out there is a smart decision for any of us. We’re not going to do that, nor should we do that. We’ll take it as it comes. But, I think everybody is doing as much as they can and that’s really all they can do on that end, as well as preparing and doing the things that we can do that aren’t on the field. There’s still other preparation and other things we can do as far as communication and scheme and studying film — that kind of thing that we’re doing as well.
“That’s true for any player that’s not participating. We have a number of them that fall into that category. It seems like we always have somebody, so does every other team. For those players and for the team, the best thing is for that player to focus on what he can do. Improve in the areas he can improve in and try and get back out as soon as he can and address the areas that he needs to address. And I think that’s what’s being done.”
When it comes to the contract situation, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Greer gave some more insight.
“Well, I think there’s a real deadline coming (Aug. 31) that’s the final (roster) cutdown,” Breer said, transcribed by NESN. ” … They gotta make a decision whether to put him on (the physically unable to perform list) or not. They put him on PUP, he’s out for the first six weeks of the season. So, I’ve said all along: Steph Gilmore is not planning on playing in 2021 for $7 million bucks. However, if they decide not to do his contract in the next nine days, they gotta make a decision on putting him on PUP, now all of a sudden maybe he’s playing half the year for $7 million bucks. And, so, I think that’s a real deadline for the Patriots: trying to get something done before having to make a decision whether or not to put him on the PUP list.
“And, as of right now, the feeling I get, he’s looking for a raise more than he’s looking for incentives. I’m not sure incentives are gonna get it done because they’ve dragged it out this far.”
The Patriots have less than a month to get things figured out before they’re down arguably the best cornerback in the league.
[listicle id=108564]