Tag: Stephon Gilmore

9 Cowboys who could follow Dan Quinn to Washington in next 2 years

It’s common practice for players to follow a coach to a new venue. Which defenders could trail Quinn to the east coast? | From @KDDrummondNFL

One would imagine that a ton of Cowboys defenders enjoyed their time under Dan Quinn’s leadership. His ability to motivate and lead is often cited as his best quality, and that’s for a defensive coordinator who has had three straight top-five defenses in Dallas on top of back-to-back No. 1 defenses in Seattle. In between was a stint as head coach of Atlanta that included a trip to the Super Bowl without having a top defense.

So it stands to reason, with a new franchise QB incoming and a ton of cap space, Washington is going to be an intriguing destination for Quinn’s disciples. Some will be able to join him this year, others will have to wait a year until their contracts expire. Here’s a look at two years worth of Cowboys free agents who could end up following Quinn to the nation’s capital.

 

Making a 53-man roster out of active ex-Buffalo Bills

Let’s have some fun:

The NFL is a league with plenty of turnover among players and staff. Every offseason, all 32 teams churn their roster through trades and drops, leading to recycling of personnel through free agency.

When Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott mentioned in his end-of-season presser to ‘not expect wholesale changes‘, it got us thinking: What if the entire roster was changed?

Well, as it turns out, we could.

Here are the ground rules we set for this exercise:

  • All players/coaches had to have been on a 90-man roster or practice squad at some point during the 2023 season (dating back to March 15, 2023) with one exception (below).
  • Players who weren’t in the NFL in 2023 were still considered if they were active in another league (CFL, XFL, etc.) this past season.
  • Players/coaches had to have been on the Bills’ 90-man roster, 53-man roster, or practice squad for at least one day at some point in their careers.
  • Construction of the 53-man had to be realistic and balanced in terms of numbers at each position (ie. we don’t have 1 running back and 15 wide receivers).
  • Players had to be listed at a position they’ve taken snaps in (ie. couldn’t put a TE along the OL, etc.).

This is what we came up with…

The Cowboys are likely to lose their best free agent this offseason

CB Stephon Gilmore played an enormous role on the Cowboys in 2023 but given the circumstances he’s likely to leave in free agency. | From @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys have a laundry list of internal free agents hitting the market in 2024 and very limited resources available to retain them. Sitting with -$21,111,847 in effective cap space (per OTC), tough decisions await the suddenly idle franchise. For better or for worse, it’s become quite clear not everyone Dallas likes is going to be able to come back in 2024.

With Jayron Kearse, Tyron Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Stephon Gilmore, Johnathan Hankins and Tony Pollard all set to hit free agency, the Cowboys stand to lose as many as six starters this March. And the best of the bunch is likely to be one of those players on his way out the door.

An argument could be made Smith, Pollard or even Hankins is Dallas’ best free agent this year, and that’s perfectly fair. But by many accounts it’s Gilmore who was really the best of the bunch in 2023. Gilmore didn’t just play at a high-level last season, he also served an absolutely vital role after Trevon Diggs was lost.

Gilmore’s presence in the lineup (1,150 snaps), combined with DaRon Bland’s ability to bounce outside, allowed the Cowboys to survive an otherwise catastrophic loss to the secondary.

The depth at CB was razor thin from Week 3 on, and Gilmore’s high-end play combined with his week-to-week reliability made him one of the Cowboys’ most important players. Those traits are likely to put the veteran in high demand this offseason, even if his best years are likely behind him.

There’s no question the Cowboys should love to have Gilmore back in 2024, but given the circumstances at CB, it would be a difficult signing to justify.

Diggs is expected back for the start of the 2024 season and Bland’s breakout season demands a steady role in the starting lineup going forward. It’s already an embarrassment of riches between the two and with Diggs now making top-of-the-market pay, it would be fiscally irresponsible for Dallas to re-sign Gilmore with so many other needs elsewhere on the roster.

Gilmore served a vital purpose in Dallas in 2023 and provided veteran stability to a secondary that desperately needed it. He was an ideal pairing for both Diggs and Bland and offered toughness in both phases of the game. Even if his term was only one year his presence was a rousing success because in many ways, he saved the Cowboys’ season. But given the rise of Bland and the money already dedicated to Diggs, chances are Dallas will allow their top internal free agent to leave in March.

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Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore to have shoulder surgery before free agency

From @ToddBrock24f7: The veteran was set to wear a shoulder harness for the duration of the Cowboys’ playoff run. He’ll have his torn labrum repaired this week.

Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore was an immediate difference-maker in his first year with the Cowboys, becoming one of the leaders on defense after Trevon Diggs was lost to an early-season ACL injury.

Now a late-season injury of his own will send him to the operating room as he wonders if he’ll be wearing the star again in 2024.

Gilmore is set to undergo surgery for a torn labrum that he suffered in the regular-season finale versus Washington, according to a report from Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. The 12-year veteran wore a shoulder harness in Sunday’s wild-card loss to Green Bay and played every one of the team’s defensive snaps. He was prepared to wear the harness for the duration of the Cowboys’ postseason run, delaying surgery until the offseason.

But now the offseason is here. Surgery is expected to come this week.

“I tried to give it all I’ve got,” Gilmore, 33, said after the playoff defeat. “I still felt like I could play. Tried to give it a go. Got to take advantage of these opportunities.”

What opportunity might come next for Gilmore is very much up in the air.

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A former top-ten draft pick of Buffalo in 2012, Gilmore was traded to Dallas by the Colts last spring exchange for a fifth-round 2023 pick. He is set to become a free agent in March.

Fellow Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis is also scheduled to hit free agency this offseason, while Diggs and second-year man DaRon Bland are set to return to the club.

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Here’s why Cowboys CB DaRon Bland should be defensive player of the year

20 years from now, no one is going to remember the performances put on by the 2023 edge rushers. But they’ll still be talking about Bland, and the TDs aren’t his only argument. | From @KDDrummondNFL

He’s not the Sauce, but his game is seasoned with more flavor than any of the other options on the menu. We weren’t shooting with him in the gym and we certainly weren’t cooking in the kitchen when he was prepping, but we were invited to attend the grand opening of a future three-star Michelin rating for Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland.

After a shockingly strong rookie campaign where he ascended to secondary sous chef behind Trevon Diggs, the latest Al Harris protege was sent to study. Leading the team with five interceptions out of the slot in 2022 wasn’t enough. Instead the team asked him to master boundary-corner cuisine. And what he created when taking over the kitchen in 2023 was worthy of accolade.

Just like Fx’s The Bear was the best show on cable television in 2023, Bland was that on broadcast TV. The NFL is king, owning 96 of the 100 most-watched programs since September and no player stole the spotlight more than Bland did. He was the NFL’s best defender this season and should be the clear choice to be named Defensive Player of the Year.

But the voters are going to get it wrong.

Those voters are likely giving the award to one of the game’s preeminent edge rushers. The food critics are league media, and the buzz throughout the last month of the season is likely reflective of what the final reviews will look like.

And the media aren’t talking about Bland’s historic season the way they should be.

Cowboys-Packers final wild-card injury report: Alexander missing, Gilmore good

The final injury report for Sunday’s wild-card game shows each team’s status and what’s been ailing them. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys ended their regular season with a serious question about their starting cornerback. The Green Bay Packers ended theirs with no such concerns. But as the week of practice leading up to Sunday’s wild-card matchup has concluded, the two teams have reversed positions.

Friday’s practice came with an escalated workout for Stephon Gilmore, who dislocated his shoulder in the Week 18 win in Washington. Meanwhile Jaire Alexander twisted his ankle in practice on Wednesday and hasn’t seen the football field since. Gilmore wasn’t even given a game designation of questionable, that’s how well he’s recovered.

The Cowboys have six players who’ve been monitored throughout the week, with the latest addition being Cooper Rush. It had appeared the club had kicked the illness bug, but Rush missed Friday’s practice. Hopefully no one else comes down with the cold over the next 48 hours.

Here’s a look at the full slate of injured players and how their weeks went.

MRI gives good news on Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore for Packers showdown

From @ToddBrock24f7: The veteran CB told reporters he’d be good to go for Sunday’s wild-card game; an MRI has backed up that prognosis.

It turns out Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore may have known exactly what he was talking about Sunday night when he downplayed the seriousness of the shoulder injury that forced him to leave the team’s Week 18 win before halftime.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports, per a source, that an MRI showed “no significant damage” to the veteran’s right shoulder.

That would seem to bolster the prognosis Gilmore gave to reporters after Dallas wrapped up the NFC East crown and secured the conference’s No. 2 seed for the postseason with a 38-10 win over Washington.

“It just popped out and they popped it back in place,” he said after the game. “I feel way better now. Happy it wasn’t nothing too crazy.”

“It was better than we anticipated,” said head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday, noting that the team will monitor his progress this week at practice. The coach added that Gilmore will likely wear a harness Sunday to give the shoulder extra support.

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Gilmore hit the ground awkwardly making a play on a pass to Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin with about two minutes to play in the first half of Sunday’s season finale. He had assistance keeping his arm elevated as he made his way to the sideline and eventually the tunnel at FedEx Field. The five-time Pro Bowler was declared out for the remainder of the contest and was seen wearing an arm sling during the second half.

Despite playing only the first two quarters, Gilmore led the Cowboys defense on the night with six tackles.

And the 12th-year veteran seemed intent on being available for the Cowboys’ postseason to cap off his first year with the team. Gilmore has not made a playoff appearance since New England’s wild-card loss to Tennessee following the 2019 season.

“I’ll be good,” he said Sunday night. “I’ll be good.”

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10 free agents the Lions should target this offseason

From guards to cornerbacks, there are plenty of free agents for the Lions to consider this offseason

The NFL season is a long journey full of ups and downs, moments of triumph, and moments of despair for a franchise and its fans. If anything that Lions fans and the team know change is certain. The current staff and front office have shown they will be active in the offseason and they need to continue to be despite their record this year.

Week 18 showed that the secondary needs work, the pass rush needs more depth, and the receiver needs size. These are just a few of the positions and situations they need to address this offseason.

The list of looming free agents for the NFL and the Lions is glaring. Tough decisions will need to be made, some have yet to be made with players who have contracts beyond this year. The talent pool is deep and for now, here are ten that Lions fans should hope the franchise goes after.

Cowboys’ Gilmore: Shoulder ‘popped out,’ vows he’ll ‘be ready to go’ in wild-card round

From @ToddBrock24f7: The veteran CB missed the second half of the Cowboys’ season-ending win, but promises his shoulder injury is “nothing too crazy.”

The Cowboys secondary got a major scare late in the first half of the team’s 38-10 season-ending win when Stephon Gilmore landed awkwardly while making a play. The veteran cornerback was escorted to the locker room and did not return to action, though he was seen on the sideline with his right arm in a sling.

Early reports were that Gilmore had injured a shoulder, leaving fans to wonder if the Dallas defense would have to start their playoff run without either of the corners that had started the 2023 campaign.

But while Trevon Diggs will still be relegated to observer status for the posteason journey, Gilmore says he’ll be in uniform and on the field when the Cowboys host Green Bay in the wild-card round next weekend.

Gilmore’s shoulder “just popped out,” he said after the division-clinching win per the team website, “and they popped it back in place. I feel way better now. Happy it wasn’t nothing too crazy.”

Gilmore entered the Week 18 contest having played more snaps than any Cowboys defender this season. Nahshon Wright came on in his place to finish the game against the Commanders opposite league interception leader and first-time Pro Bowler DaRon Bland, who snared yet another pick on Sunday.

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The Cowboys secondary will face a stiff test in the wild-card round, with the red-hot Jordan Love coming to town averaging nearly two passing touchdowns per game, a rate that’s second in the league.

But if Gilmore’s self-diagnosis is to be believed, he’ll be in his usual spot when the Cowboys defense takes the field in the tournament.

“He told me was fine and he’d be ready to go,” said Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy.

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Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore questionable to return with shoulder injury

From @Cdburnett7: The Cowboys veteran cornerback went to the locker room in Washington after suffering a right arm injury during the 2nd quarter in Week 18.

It’s a slugfest at FedEx Field as the Dallas Cowboys are trying to secure the NFC East crown, along with the No. 2 seed in the conference. The cornerback room has battled through a key injury this season, and now it may have lost another key piece.

Stephon Gilmore dove to make a play on the ball late in the first half and went down awkwardly on his shoulder before it appeared to make contact with Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

Following the play, Gilmore stayed down before gingerly walking to the sideline holding his left arm. After being evaluated by the Cowboys trainers, he was led to the locker room while keeping the arm very still.

Right after his walk to the locker room, Dallas announced that he is questionable to return to the game with a shoulder injury. (Update: Gilmore was reported as out by Fox’s Erin Andrews shortly after the third quarter got underway. He was later seen on the sideline with his arm in a sling.)

The addition of Gilmore gave Dallas a massive boost in the secondary and second life after Trevon Diggs’ season ended prematurely. Initial reaction didn’t look good for Gilmore, and his status is very important for the Cowboys’ playoff hopes.

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