When it comes to new contracts for Patriots players, the majority of the time the team and Bill Belichick have all the leverage and there’s not all that much the players can do.
Belichick is going to pay the player what he perceives his value to be and there’s not much a player can do about it. And if a player is still under contract but wants a new one, usually that is met with “tough luck.”
But there are special circumstances and it feels like Stephon Gilmore is in the midst of one right now.
Gilmore, the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, was given a $5 million bump in pay before last season, but that money was taken from his 2021 salary. Therefore, Gilmore currently has a base salary for this season of $7.5 million, which ranks 25th among NFL cornerbacks.
Obviously, Gilmore is worth more than that and he knows it. Therefore, he did not report to Monday’s mandatory minicamp and reportedly isn’t expected to show up Tuesday and Wednesday, either. The way things are going it doesn’t feel like he will show up for anything, even training camp, without a new contract, or at least a bump in pay for this season.
And why is that? Because Gilmore actually has the leverage over the team. The Patriots need him more than he needs the team.
The Patriots expect to be a contender in 2021, but in order to reach the postseason and make a run, they need Gilmore in the backend of their defense. Without Gilmore, the cornerback position immediately becomes one of concern, as JC Jackson has struggled when asked to be the No. 1 corner, there’s some unknown with Jalen Mills and who knows exactly what Joejuan Williams and Myles Bryant are. Even if those players work out well, the unit would be considered average where as with Gilmore it’s one of the best in the league.
For most Patriots players holding out isn’t the best option when it comes to getting what they want, but Gilmore can look to a few instances for when it did work.
Richard Seymour immediately comes to mind, as back in 2005 when he was entering the final year of his rookie contract he did not attend minicamp as well as the first few days of training camp. At that point he received a raise for the 2005 season and then eventually signed a three-year extension the following April.
While Deion Branch didn’t remain with New England in 2006, he did get what he wanted in a new contract as after holding out and two filing two grievances, he was traded to the Seahawks where he signed a six-year, $39 million extension. He too was entering the final year of his rookie deal.
Logan Mankins’ road to a contract with the team in 2011 that made him the highest paid guard in the league included him not attending minicamp, training camp and even not reporting until the middle of the 2010 season. The following offseason he received the franchise tag before getting a six-year deal just prior to the 2011 season.
Popular belief may say holding out with Belichick is a bad idea, but it worked out for those three players as they got what they wanted.
Specific to Gilmore now, the main goal would be getting a contract extension that has him paid like he should — as one of the top cornerbacks in the game. But, it’s a little complicated considering he’s turning 31 before the start of the season and is coming off missing the last two games of the 2020 season because of a quad injury.
New England has more than $15 million in cap space, so a new deal certainly could be added to the books, it just comes down to if it feels comfortable with him for the future. Will he be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year again? Probably not, but he still will be one of the better corners in the league.
At the very least he would like a bump in pay for the upcoming season, which is what happened with Seymour. Gilmore could then prove he’s deserving of a new contract whether that be from the Patriots next offseason or signing with another team as a free agent.
Or, perhaps worst-case scenario, and the most unlikely, is sitting out until he needs to be on the roster to be eligible for the playoffs. Of course, the Patriots would want him back and then he would still be able to prove he’s deserving of a decent contract for the 2022 season.
While it would seem “The Patriot Way” is not holding out, past history shows it can lead to players getting what they want — new contracts.