The Seahawks are in much better shape at the cornerback position now than they were at the start of the 2021 season. Assuming they re-sign D.J. Reed, they’ll have at least two solid starters on the outside. Bringing back Sidney Jones for extra depth isn’t a bad idea, either.
While we don’t expect Seattle to make a this position a priority in free agency, it never hurts to add a blue chip defensive piece – even if it seems like you’re already set at a particular spot. Former Seahawks corner Richard Sherman said yesterday on his podcast he expects free agent Stephon Gilmore to sign with either Seattle or San Francisco.
Richard Sherman just mentioned on the pod today that he expects Stephon Gilmore to "go West Coast" and either sign with the #49ers or the #Seahawks 👀
Episode drops at 5pm EST btw
— Stone 🗿 (@sjroshell) February 25, 2022
Gilmore is among the league’s best cornerbacks in man-to-man coverage. He thrived with the Bills early in his career and peaked with the Patriots in 2019, when he led the league with six interceptions and 20 pass breakups en route to a Defensive Player of the Year award. This past season, he only played nine games with the Panthers due to injuries.
Gilmore has played in the NFL for 10 years now and has 132 regular season games under his belt, so it’s unlikely he’ll continue performing at a high level for much longer. However, adding him to the mix would give Seattle one of the best cornerback rooms in the league for now.
Traditionally a zone team, the Seahawks are changing course with their new defensive coaching staff – embracing a more aggressive approach preferred by the Vic Fangio tree. Fans should expect to see a continued transition away from cover 3 and more two-high and man coverage.
Gilmore would obviously help in that department. They could play him at LCB and put Tre Brown in the slot – filling the only major hole on the back end of their defense – or mix and match as needed.
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