There was surprising news this week when the New England Patriots announced that they were prepared to part ways with standout cornerback Stephon Gilmore to save cap space.
The Carolina Panthers swooped in to acquire the veteran, who is in his 10th NFL season, for a mere sixth-round draft pick. Gilmore suffered a quad injury last season and was limited to 11 games, but he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.
So this is kind of a big deal for the Panthers.
Gilmore has elite man-coverage skills on the inside and outside and also has the ability to play in different zone coverages as well. The Panthers appear to be in win-now mode, and they needed a lockdown corner in order to continue the defensive success they enjoyed in the first three weeks of the season. Gilmore, who began the season on the PUP list for the Patriots, will be eligible to play for the Panthers in Week 7.
The Panthers allowed just 30 points while rolling to a 3-0 start to the season, but that dominance was halted in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Carolina had allowed fewer than 50 rushing yards against the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans. But behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, the Cowboys racked up 245 yards on the ground against the Panthers.
When the Panthers opted for man coverage while focusing on the run, the Cowboys exploited Carolina’s defensive vulnerabilities upfield. That allowed Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott to throw four touchdown passes.
To put it bluntly, the Panthers were better in zone coverage than man-to-man. Per Sports Info Solutions, Carolina has allowed 37 catches on 63 attempts for 507 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions in zone so far this season. Conversely, the Panthers have allowed 17 catches on 30 attempts for 174 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in man coverage.
If the Panthers want to stop the run, they need to be able to trust their corners to cover opponents one-on-one. This is where Gilmore can shine.
The clip above is an example of how the Panthers come out in looks that leave the cornerbacks on an island to the outside. Gilmore, meantime, is a lockdown cover corner with the ability to keep up with some of the NFL’s fastest receivers.
Gilmore doesn’t need to wait for a receiver to break to the ball. He loves to jump routes — remember his interception in Super Bowl LIII? He also knows how to use the sideline to take a receiver completely out of the play, like in the clip below.
Gilmore is a film watcher who pays close attention to receiver tendencies, field position and game situation, the offensive formation and the coverage scheme. He uses all of this knowledge and awareness to his advantage before he even lines up across from his opponent.
These skills can be used in zone as well, which is the coverage the Panthers prefer to use more often.
At the top of your screen in the video above, Gilmore would be a perfect fit lining up in press coverage then dropping back and reading the play as it develops.
Gilmore is the missing piece that the Carolina defense lacked. The Panthers understood their weaknesses in man coverage, and now they can be confident in leaving their cornerbacks on the outside while they bring pressure up front and leave single high in the back. They now have a formidable secondary, no matter which coverage they line up in, and Gilmore also can serve as a mentor to young corners Jaycee Horn and C.J. Henderson.
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