This Patriots-Cowboys Stephon Gilmore Blockbuster Could Actually Work

The New England Patriots still seem a bit uncertain as to whether they want to dish out a huge contract extension to star cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who will become a free agent following the 2021 season.

Bill Belichick is notorious for unloading expiring contracts before notable players hit the open market, and considering that Gilmore is fresh off winning the Defensive Player of the Year award, he'll likely demand a serious deal in free agency. With that in mind, he should be considered as expendable as any player on the Patriots roster despite his major talent, and a trade with the Dallas Cowboys -- who still need to replace Byron Jones in their secondary -- would make legitimate sense.

Quick-hit thoughts/notes around the Patriots and NFL (Stephon Gilmore takes offseason changes in stride; tight to salary cap; trade suggestion at TE; Brady the holder; Patriots theme — together while apart; Shelton vs. Allen contracts; Professor Cope etc.) https://t.co/5TV0Fv83xg
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) March 29, 2020

To acquire Gilmore, the Cowboys will have to cough up some valuable assets. On paper, first- and third-round draft picks might appear to be enough to get a deal done. However, the 29-year-old vet carries a whopping $18.6 million cap hit for the 2020 season, which must be taken into account.

Dallas presently flaunts $17.4 million in cap space, so the team will need to restructure a few contracts or include another player in this blockbuster. Somebody like defensive tackle Trysten Hill ($1.8 mil cap hit) or defensive end Tyrone Crawford ($1.1 mil cap hit) would suffice.

Of course, the Cowboys could just ask New England to swallow some of Gilmore's salary, but that would surely require Jerry Jones and Co. to unload additional picks.

Stephon Gilmore was the only cornerback to finish with an ELITE grade last season pic.twitter.com/uQYcjz6ufb
— PFF (@PFF) February 26, 2019

Either way, Dallas has the assets in place to complete a deal. If the franchise is open to paralyzing its financial flexibility, then we see no reason why the Jones' shouldn't pull the trigger. After all, acquiring a player of Gilmore's caliber would help the Cowboys establish pole position in the NFC East.

As for the Patriots, well, they would get a monster contract off the books and avoid having to pay even more in free agency a year from now, as they'd add additional draft capital to help Belichick attack the post-Tom Brady era head-on.