Buffalo Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore will reportedly be a no-show for the team’s voluntary off-season activities this week.
Gilmore, 25, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is expected to make $11 million after the team picked up his contract option for the 2016 season.
One of the best young corners in the game, it’s readily apparent why Gilmore has decided to stay away from the voluntary activities. He wants a new contract before the regular season gets going.
Back in March, Gilmore discussed the potential of signing a long-term deal with Buffalo.
“I definitely would as long as its fair,” Gilmore said, via Buffalo News. “I love Buffalo. They gave me my first opportunity to play in the National Football League. I think we have a lot of great talent, a lot of guys in the locker room that I love like my little brothers. But right now, it’s a business. It’s not personal. You believe in yourself and see if you can meet.”
As Gilmore knows, the issue here is that he wouldn’t necessarily hit the open market following his contract year.
Buffalo could easily keep him off the free-agent market by placing the franchise tag tender on him. This makes the situation more important for the corner than the team.
Though, it must be noted that Gilmore can’t be considered a holdout here. He’s simply not deciding to show up for voluntary activities. Should he decide to stay away from training camp, then there will be more questions about the situation in Western New York.
Gilmore, the 10th overall pick back in the 2012 NFL Draft, recorded 36 tackles, three interceptions and 18 passes defended for the Bills last season.
He’s likely going to want a deal similar to the five-year, $75 million contract Josh Norman signed with the Washington Redskins back in April.