The Indianapolis Colts traded cornerback Stephon Gilmore to the Dallas Cowboys. Here’s what Indy got in return for the five-time Pro Bowl defensive back.
On Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts traded veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore to the Dallas Cowboys. This comes just one year after Indy signed Gilmore in free agency. With the Colts likely heading towards a rebuild, they sent the 32-year-old Gilmore, who has a season remaining on his contract, to a Cowboys team that should be contending for a Super Bowl next season.
What did the Colts trade Stephon Gilmore for?
In exchange for Gilmore, the Dallas Cowboys sent Indianapolis a fifth-round compensatory pick for the 2023 NFL Draft. Now, Gilmore will have the opportunity to showcase his elite skills on a competitive team with Super Bowl aspirations.
That was supposed to be the case when Gilmore signed a two-year contract with the Colts last offseason, but Indy instead went 4-12-1 in 2022, made a coaching change, and will soon draft a young quarterback. Through all of that, Gilmore put together another elite season and was one of the few bright spots for the Colts this past season.
Stephon Gilmore played in 16 games and recorded two interceptions, 11 pass breakups, and 66 tackles. He also had a very noticeable impact on the games Indy did win. He was truly the big-game player that Indianapolis was looking for but the Colts didn’t hold up their end of the bargain. Now Gilmore is a Cowboy and Indy will rebuild.
Colts must rebuild corner depth
Although it had been reported that Indianapolis was shopping some of its veteran starters, this move is still somewhat shocking because it kind of signals that the team is heading toward a rebuild of sorts, despite the fact that Indianapolis isn’t all that far from being competitive. Trading Gilmore certainly moves the Colts further away from being contenders, as their corner depth is now a big concern.
With Gilmore gone, and Brandon Facyson entering free agency, Isaiah Rodgers and Kenny Moore are the top corners that remain on the roster. Rebuilding depth at that position is now something else the Colts must worry about this offseason.
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