Dallas Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots reportedly tried to bring back former DPOY over offseason

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 8/7/23

Before star cornerback Stephon Gilmore was traded to the Dallas Cowboys by the Indianapolis Colts in March, he reportedly almost landed back with a team he played four seasons with and won the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award.

In order to acquire Stephon Gilmore this offseason, the Cowboys had to beat out … the Patriots.

Also in here, some early discussions on a potential new deal for Dak and an update on free agent RBs Zeke Elliott and Dalvin Cook. https://t.co/r2PyiQ6zuN
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) August 6, 2023

After being selected 10th overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 2012 NFL Draft and spending the first five years of his career there, Gilmore signed with the New England Patriots in March 2017. He made his second Pro Bowl and was named First-Team All-Pro for the first time in 2018 before putting together his best season in 2019.

Gilmore led the NFL with a career-high six interceptions that year, returning two of them for touchdowns and for a total of 126 yards. Gilmore added a league-leading 20 passes defended for the second straight season and earned his second consecutive First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, while winning his AP Defensive Player of the Year Award.

He made one more Pro Bowl with New England in 2020, but as he was recovering from a partially torn quad and engulfed in a contract dispute with the Pats, the now-32-year-old was traded to the Carolina Panthers in October 2021. Gilmore played eight games and earned his fourth straight Pro Bowl (fifth overall) with Carolina.

He signed a two-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts in April 2022 and finished last season with a career-high 66 combined tackles, as well as 11 passes defended and two interceptions.

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