Patriots Rumors: Stephon Gilmore Given Raise in Contract Worth at Least $5M

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore is one of the best defensive players in the NFL, and the New England Patriots rewarded him with a raise for the 2020 season. 

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, New England is raising Gilmore's base salary from $10.5 million to $15.5 million. He can earn an additional $2 million in incentives. 

Gilmore was not scheduled for unrestricted free agency until 2022 on his previous contract, although the Patriots changed it in March 2019.

Field Yates and Mike Reiss of ESPN reported New England converted $8.5 million from his base salary into a signing bonus in an effort to create additional cap space heading into the 2019 campaign.

The move also increased Gilmore's salary-cap charges for 2020 and 2021.

The University of South Carolina product entered the league as a first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2012 and spent the first five years of his career with New England's AFC East rival. While he made a Pro Bowl and tallied 14 interceptions in Buffalo, he built on that and became one of the league's best overall defensive players with the Patriots.

Gilmore was selected to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro First Team in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019 and took home the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2019.

He tallied 53 tackles, a league-best six interceptions, a league-best 20 passes defended and two defensive touchdowns during his Defensive Player of the Year effort and was the star player for a defense that carried the Patriots to an AFC East crown while Tom Brady and the offense was inconsistent for much of the campaign.

Pro Football Focus gave Gilmore an overall player grade of 82.8 for his efforts.

While head coach Bill Belichick never hesitates to move on from a player when they are no longer at the top of their game, Gilmore showed no signs of slowing down in 2019 and is still in his prime at 29 years old.

New England will surely look for him to continue playing at such a high level this season as it tries to win the AFC East with Cam Newton replacing Brady at quarterback.