Minnesota agrees to deal with All-Pro corner Stephon Gilmore amongst preseason injuries.

Vikings fans rejoice! A long-anticipated signing final gets pen to paper and Minnesota receive reinforcements in the secondary with the addition of cornerback Stephon Gilmore. After a visit last week, the All-Pro CB has agreed to a 1-year deal worth up to $10 million with $7 million guaranteed for the upcoming 2024 season. Immediately, Gilmore looks to slate in as one of the three starting corners for Brian Flores’ defense. So, what does the 33-year old veteran bring to the table and why did Minnesota feel the need to sign him with just one game left in the preseason?

To start, what does he bring to the table? Gilmore, a top-ten draft pick in 2012, has been a mainstay in the league for over a decade. Constantly mentioned in the “Top Corners” conversation, Gilmore has been a terror even back to his college days. The former Gamecock has spent time with five teams throughout his career: Buffalo, New England, Carolina, Indianapolis, and Dallas. Most recently, Gilmore has been bounced around, unable to lock down a long-term roster, being on three different teams in three years. However, after a rough year in Carolina during the 2021 season, Gilmore enjoyed two solid years in Indianapolis and in Dallas, racking up 107 tackles, 4 interceptions, 24 pass deflections, and a forced fumble among other relevant stats. Career long, Gilmore is holds the sixth spot for most active interceptions (32), sitting behind Patrick Peterson’s 36 (former Viking), Harrison Smith’s 34 (active Viking), and a three way tie with 33 from Mathieu, Peters, and Gipson. For Minnesota, this brings a pedigree and savvy to the corner position they haven’t had since Patrick Peterson a few years back and more so, back towards the Xavier Rhodes era.

So why did the Vikings feel the need to sign him? Simply put, Gilmore brings much needed stability and veteran presence to a defensive back room that has been bit with the injury bug. After losing Mehki Blackmon for the season on day one of practice and having Shaquill Griffin go down day two (though updates look to be trending towards a healthy week one), there was a glaring need for a starting corner. With the signing above, Minnesota keeps the instability in check and allows for Flores to continue to scheme up his defense. Moving into the final preseason game of the year, the Vikings corner room now holds the newly acquired Gilmore alongside pre-emptive starters Evans and Murphy Jr. Griffin, Shelley, Thompson, McGlothern, Moreau, Wright, Williams, Green III, and Francis all sit in reserves with Ward and McCain rotating. Though most of these guys won’t make the final 53-man roster, the Vikings can be assured that Gilmore is in their upcoming season plans. Even with Gilmore being a tad older, Minnesota has been able to get good corner play from older veterans over the last decade and for today, the hope is this remains true.