Patriots' Bill Belichick Not Aware of Team Shopping Stephon Gilmore in Trades

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick downplayed speculation about whether star cornerback Stephon Gilmore was on the block ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.

"Not that I'm aware of," Belichick, who also serves as the Pats' de facto general manager, told reporters Wednesday.

ESPN's Dianna Russini reported the Patriots were seeking a first-round draft pick and a roster player in any trade offer for Gilmore.

While he's the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, it's not a surprise he wasn't moved based on that sky-high asking price for a variety of reasons.

The University of South Carolina product is 30, which puts him at the extreme back end of a player's typical peak based on studies on age curves, and his performance this year is already down a bit from 2019, though the sample size is limited.

Gilmore has recorded 20 total tackles, two passes defended and one interception in six appearances this season. Pro Football Focus has given him a lackluster 61.0 overall grade.

The other concern is his contract. He's in the penultimate season of his five-year, $65 million deal, which includes a $25.2 million salary-cap hit in 2020 and a $17.2 million cap hit for 2021. A contract extension that reworked the 2021 figure would have likely been needed to facilitate a move.

Between his age, apparent dip in performance and the contract concerns, it would have been difficult for a team to part with a first-round pick and a player despite Gilmore's strong track record.

The trade rumors may resurface in the offseason, when there will be more time for interested teams to work through the financial complexities.

For now, Gilmore remains with the Patriots for the remainder of 2020. He missed last week's loss to the Buffalo Bills with a knee injury, and his status for Monday's Week 9 clash with the New York Jets is uncertain.