The Buffalo Bills’ general manager cited Stephon Gilmore as an example of a late free-agent signing
The Buffalo Bills are still looking for potential starting cornerbacks, but general manager Brandon Beane is preaching patience.
“There’s still time between now and the draft, whether it’s a one-year vet or something like that, to place hold,” said Beane while addressing reporters at the NFL meetings in West Palm Beach on Sunday. “We just brought Dane [Jackson] back on a one-year [contract], a lot of confidence in him, but that is one of the positions we’ll continue to look at.”
Whether it’s finally deciding to re-sign Rasul Douglas or come to terms with a grizzled veteran looking for a home, Beane hinted that it may not happen until well after the NFL Draft and possibly not until summer. The Bills’ GM cited cornerback Stephon Gilmore as an example of a late signing.
“I remember last year, like, you don’t see it a lot, but like, Stefan Gilmore signed in late August for, I think, like eight or nine million dollars a year. So, sometimes guys will wait post-draft,” said Beane.
With Gilmore back on the free-agent market again this offseason, it’s only natural to think the Bills would give the well-traveled 34-year-old a look.
Sep 29, 2019; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver John Brown (15) runs with the ball as New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) defends during the fourth quarter at New Era Field. / Douglas DeFelice-Imagn Images
Could it be that Beane just coincidentally selected Gilmore to use as an example while making his point to reporters? Maybe, there’s been internal discussions about bringing Buffalo’s 2012 first-round selection back into the fold for the twilight of his career.
Although Gilmore didn’t necessarily leave Buffalo on good terms, signing a free-agent contract with the rival New England Patriots in 2016, a lot of time has passed since he took shots at the organization for being a small-market team mired in a long playoff drought at the time. Once apparent that he was going to test the market, Gilmore appeared to make multiple in-game “business decisions,” especially when it came to tackling, during his final season with the Bills.
Since those days, times have changed. While Gilmore got his Super Bowl ring thanks to Tom Brady, and also picked up the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award along the way, the Bills have thrived, to the tune of seven postseason berths in eight years, under their new administration that was installed in 2017.
Gilmore, who has started games for five different NFL teams over the past five seasons, made 15 starts for the Minnesota Vikings in 2024. The four-time Pro Bowl selection recorded 56 tackles, eight pass break-ups and one interception. He has made 180 career regular season appearances.
