Report: Bills ‘interested’ in CB Stephon Gilmore

Bleacher Report’s Tyler Conway released an article Sunday which stated that the Buffalo Bills are among the teams reportedly interested in free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore:

“Buffalo Bills… they’ve been looking at some starting cornerback help. He played there as a rookie; maybe there’s a reunion in the works potentially. But nothing really cooking right now… The Bills already made their huge splash on the free-agent market, signing Von Miller to a massive six-year deal as they try loading up for a Super Bowl run. If they’re pushing all their chips in for a ring in 2022, they should explore Gilmore as a possibility if his price comes down a little.”

The Chiefs and Eagles are reportedly interested as well.

A reunion of Stephon Gilmore and the Bills is interesting for Bills fans. The team drafted him tenth overall in 2012 and he spent the first five years of his career in Buffalo before leaving for the Patriots via free agency. Gilmore was selected to one pro bowl in Buffalo (2016), and in New England he had three pro bowls in four years, including two First-Team All-Pro selections and a Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019. In 2021 with the Carolina Panthers he was selected to his fifth pro bowl appearance.

Moving away from Buffalo obviously worked out well for Gilmore. Aside from the personal accolades, he was also able to win the Lombardi Trophy with the Pats in 2019. So, why would he return to the Bills?

The fit is obvious

Levi Wallace left in free agency so the cornerback spot across from Tre’Davious White is open for the taking. Even if the Bills do have faith in Dane Jackson as their No. 2 cornerback, White will still miss a portion of the year with his ACL recovery. GM Brandon Beane and the Bills have a history of bringing in veteran cornerback options via free agency and this offseason, more than any other, makes the most sense to do so.

Different era

Gilmore would be walking into a totally different situation than in his previous stint in Buffalo. In his five seasons in Buffalo, the Bills averaged just 7.2 wins per year and failed to reach the playoffs each season. The closest they came was in 2014 when the team went 9-7. Fast-forward to 2022 and these Bills are for real. They’ve made deep playoff runs the past two years and are now betting favorites to win the Super Bowl in 2022.

Since leaving Buffalo, Gilmore has won a Super Bowl, a DPOY, and has also played for his hometown team in Charlotte. What else is left for his professional resume? Perhaps it’s returning to the place that drafted him and helping to make a Super Bowl push.