Panthers GM Dan Morgan said the team has not closed the door to signing veteran CB Stephon Gilmore, though he made sure to praise fifth-round CB Chau Smith-Wade who was just drafted Saturday.
“First off, we’re really excited about Chau,” Morgan said via USA Today’s Anthony Rizzuti. “He can play inside, he can play outside. So we liked his versatility. He’s good on special teams. I think he’s a guy that can really contribute and make us better. I think, obviously, at every position, we’re gonna look to improve — not just the corner position.
“But again, we’re gonna try to create depth and competition everywhere. And as far as Stephon, we’re not gonna close the door on anything and we’ll continue to talk and explore and see where that goes.”
Carolina reached out to Gilmore earlier this offseason and still needs some help at cornerback after the draft.
He’s from Rock Hill, South Carolina, and had a stint with the Panthers in 2021.
Gilmore, 33, was taken with the No. 10 overall pick by the Bills back in 2012. He played out his rookie contract, but the Bills elected to pick up his fifth-year option for the 2016 season.
Gilmore would later depart for a five-year, $65 million contract that includes $31 million guaranteed with the Patriots. He stood to make a base salary of $7 million in 2021 when he was traded to the Panthers for a future sixth.
From there, Gilmore signed a two-year, $23 million contract with the Colts in 2022. Indianapolis traded him to the Cowboys last March.
In 2023, Gilmore appeared in all 17 games for the Cowboys and recorded 68 tackles, a forced fumble, two interceptions and 13 pass defenses.
We have him included in our Top 100 – 2024 NFL Free Agents list.
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