Might Stephon Gilmore be the vehicle in which the Patriots ride to a top 10 draft pick?
By now, you surely have heard rumors about New England trying to move up in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft to select their quarterback of the future. There also has been talk of Bill Belichick using the No. 15 pick to trade down and land more Day 2 picks. As is the case every year during the leadup to the draft, take everything you read with many grains of salt.
But, for now, let's act as if the Patriots' true goal is to trade up, potentially into the top 10. What kind of package could Belichick offer?
Well, according to ESPN NFL insider Dianna Russini, Stephon Gilmore is someone to monitor as Thursday night approaches.
"Something to keep in mind -- and it's a small little storyline to keep an eye on -- Stephon Gilmore is in the final year of his five-year contract with the New England Patriots," Russini said during Tuesday's "Get Up!" episode. "He's making about $7 million this season. The New England Patriots could perhaps deal Stephon Gilmore on draft night as part of a package to move up if they are in the business of getting a quarterback.
"I did speak to a team in the top 10 who told me they've had calls with New England."
Now, it's unclear whether the team Russini has spoken with specified that New England has dangled Gilmore in trade talks. However, given the trade rumors that have surrounded Gilmore since last offseason, this theory generally feels believable.
As for which team the Patriots could execute a trade with, your guess is as good as ours. That said, the Carolina Panthers need a cornerback, recently acquired quarterback Sam Darnold and own the No. 8 pick.
Just saying.
