The Indianapolis Colts are exploring the possibility of signing Stephon Gilmore, but is the veteran cornerback still playing good?
Fans got excited on Wednesday when it was reported that the Indianapolis Colts sent a jet to Stephon Gilmore to bring him in for a free agency visit.
Gilmore is one of the biggest names remaining on the free agency market and Indy needs help at the cornerback position, so it’s seemingly a great fit.
Additionally, Gilmore was the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year and is a five-time Pro Bowler. A player of that status will always get fans excited.
However, with Gilmore turning 32 soon and being a year and a half removed from a partially torn quad, it’s fair to ask, can he still give Indianapolis good cornerback play?
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How much can Stephon Gilmore give the Colts?
Stephon Gilmore only played in eight games last season, starting three, as he worked his way back from the quad injury. However, that was enough for him to make the Pro Bowl as an alternate.
The selection was his fourth in as many years, so it seems as if Gilmore is getting better with age. Accolades aside, the numbers also show that Gilmore is still capable of being a top corner.
After he was traded to the Carolina Panthers, he didn’t immediately jump onto the field and follow the other team’s No. 1 receiver all game. Instead, he gradually worked his way back with limited snap counts.
Gilmore played under 20 snaps in each of his first three games. In those games, he was targeted seven times and only gave up three completions for 19 yards. Even with limited targets, Gilmore had two interceptions.
As his snap count increased, his dominance remained the same. On the season, he was targeted a total of 25 times and gave up a total of 17 receptions for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
However, a bulk of those numbers came from one game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when Gilmore mirrored Antonio Brown. In that game, Gilmore was targeted nine times and gave up six completions for 79 yards.
Brown was putting on a route-running clinic and Gilmore was struggling to keep up, but to be fair, Brown is on a different level than most receivers. In the seven other games Gilmore played in, he only gave up more than 20 yards once and that was to Stefon Diggs.
So to the original question of is Stephon Gilmore still good, the answer is yes and the Colts would be lucky to add him. Is he the 2019 player that can go blank a No. 1 receiver? Probably not. But with a full offseason, entering the year healthy, Gilmore still has the ability to be a top corner for the Colts.
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