This Report Bodes Well For Patriots, Stephon Gilmore Figuring Things Out

Perhaps Stephon Gilmore has a future with the Patriots after all.

The star cornerback was a holdout during last week’s minicamp, fueling speculation of the contract dispute that first spawned trade rumors a year ago finally resulting in Gilmore’s New England exit. But ESPN Patriots reporter Mike Reiss on Sunday indicated that Gilmore and the Patriots actually might be in a relatively good place.

Check out this excerpt from his Sunday notes column:

Cornerback Stephon Gilmore didn’t report to mandatory minicamp, and while some holdouts can become acrimonious, my sense on Gilmore’s mindset is different. He seems to enjoy being a Patriot, is open to sticking around, and this was his least-expensive-but-most-decisive way of sparking more productive contract talks with the team, so he can feel better about being part of New England’s present and future.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler also offered this:

That’s good news if you’re a fan of the Patriots.

Gilmore, 30, is coming off a quad injury and a season that saw his play noticeably dip. However, he remains a starting-caliber NFL cornerback, and the Patriots currently don’t have enough quality depth at the position to withstand a Gilmore departure. And, but the sounds of things, Gilmore still enjoys playing in New England.

So, the best thing for both sides is to figure this thing out.