Stephon Gilmore has been the topic of trade rumors over the years, apparently by no fault of the New England Patriots.
And even as the elite cornerback enters the final year of his deal, his team reportedly has no interest in getting rid of him before it ends.
"The Patriots are not actively shopping cornerback Stephon Gilmore," Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported Thursday.
"His name has come up in trade conversations over the past year, but nothing has ever come close to materializing. That’s remained the case of late. If Gilmore’s name has come up in any discussions, it hasn’t been a result of the Patriots trying to unload him."
The Patriots may have no intention of trading Gilmore, who is set to earn just a $7 million base salary for the 2021 season.
That's an absolute steal for the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year. Gilmore probably will be looking to either work out a new deal or go elsewhere in free agency if he isn't traded, too.
As Howe noted, it's "unclear how any contract negotiations have unfolded" between the two parties, but they don't seem to be at a point where the Patriots and Gilmore would rather go their separate ways than reach a compromise.
