Is Stephon Gilmore still an elite corner?
The Indianapolis Colts added cornerback Stephon Gilmore this offseason. Where does the veteran corner currently rank in the league?
One of the biggest moves the Indianapolis Colts made this offseason was signing cornerback Stephon Gilmore. With troubling cornerback depth, Indy was able to sign the former Defensive Player of the Year to a two-year deal. Gilmore will now look to contribute to what can be an elite defensive unit.
This has been viewed as a great move since Gilmore is coming off four consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl and has been able to maintain quality play at 31 years old. Gilmore may not be the shutdown corner that he was a few seasons ago but he’s still pretty good.
Recently, PFF ranked the league’s corners and put them into different tiers. Gilmore, who was once a staple in the elite tier, is now in tier three, the “veterans with juice still in the tank” tier. Gilmore is ranked as the 16th-best outside corner in the league.
Former Defensive Player of the Year CB Stephon Gilmore thinks he will fit in just fine with this new look #Colts defense🔒👀 pic.twitter.com/rnc3IKFo6T
— The Blue Stable (@TheBlue_Stable) June 9, 2022
Stephon Gilmore is ranked the No. 16 corner
With all of the emerging young corners in the NFL, it’s fair to say that many have surpassed Stephon Gilmore. However, being ranked No. 16 is still pretty good considering the number of starting corners in the NFL.
Anthony Treash of PFF argues, “Gilmore will benefit from playing less man coverage” in Indianapolis. Now in Gus Bradley’s defense, the Colts will likely be in a lot of cover three schemes. That should make things easier for Gilmore while also still giving him the opportunity to make plays.
The Colts won’t need Stephon Gilmore to be the shutdown corner that he was in 2019, but just a quality contributor. With surrounding talent like Kenny Moore, Darius Leonard, DeForest Buckner, and Yannick Ngakoue, Gilmore will be another talented veteran hoping to make this defense special.
If they can all quickly learn Bradley’s defense and everyone can stay healthy, this unit has the potential to be one of the most dominant in the NFL.
