Another one of Tom Brady’s former teammates is a free agent and the newly-released Stephon Gilmore is already being linked to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. USA Today’s Josina Anderson reported the Buccaneers will “investigate” Gilmore as a possible solution for their banged-up secondary.
“I’m told just now that the Tampa Bay Bucs are at least one team that ‘will definitely investigate,’ CB Stephon Gilmore’s availability, per league source,” Anderson noted on Twitter.
The Gilmore rumors have prompted internet detectives to notice that the corner’s Instagram follows include Sean Murphy-Bunting, Devin White, Lavonte David, Richard Sherman and Ndamukong Suh.
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Brady Could Recruit His Former Teammate to Sign With Tampa
NFL insider Dov Kleiman sees Brady making another one of his famous recruiting pitches to Gilmore. After the Bucs signed Richard Sherman, the veteran corner admitted Brady’s pitch played a role in his decision to sign with Tampa Bay.
“Stephon Gilmore hitting the open market mid-season is an amazing gift for a lot of teams,” Kleiman said in a series of tweets. “Especially Tom Brady’s team, his former teammate, that has a hospital ward open with all their injuries at CB. Tom Brady recruited Richard Sherman to come to Tampa. If the Bucs can work out a way to create cap space, he should recruit Gilmore to come as well.”
The Bucs are dealing with injuries in the secondary as Murphy-Bunting, Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean and Antoine Winfield Jr. are all sidelined. Anderson reported Gilmore is seeking $15 million annually, but the Bucs only have $3.3 million cap space, per Over the Cap. Even at Gilmore’s high asking price, the Buccaneers could pull some strings to create enough cap room to add the four-time Pro Bowler.
“If we assume that Gilmore wants $15M, that would prorate out to $10M for the balance of this season,” Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald detailed on Twitter. “If that is indeed the number you probably would need $2.64M in cap room to make that work (possibly a little less but that is the clean way to come up with a number).”
Gilmore on Brady: ‘It Was a Pleasure to Suit up With You During My Career’
After Brady signed with the Bucs, Gilmore took to Instagram to discuss his relationship with the legendary quarterback.
“I saw how TB worked everyday in practice and prepared everyday to be the great player he is,” Gilmore said on March 17, 2020. “I applied that to myself and that’s why I’ve became the player i am till this day. Thanks for showing me how to be great and stay great each and everyday. It was a pleasure to suit up with you during my career. #earnednotgiven”
With the Buccaneers already signing Sherman, not everyone is buying the idea that the team will land Gilmore. The Athletic’s Greg Auman does not see it happening unless the Bucs sustain even more injuries in the secondary.
“Again, I don’t think the Bucs look hard at Gilmore unless they have real concerns that the injured corners won’t be back healthy this season,” Auman tweeted.
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