4 Carolina Panthers players that must be re-signed urgently this offseason
By Jason Huber
Stephon Gilmore – Carolina Panthers CB
When the Carolina Panthers traded for Stephon Gilmore back in Week 4 from the New England Patriots, the organization clearly had the expectation that they’d be in the playoff hunt when the regular season came to a conclusion.
Little did they know that things would collapse. But Gilmore continued to get healthier as the season went on and became a pivotal piece of the Carolina secondary.
The Panthers do possess a lot of young players at cornerback and will also have the decision on whether to re-sign Donte Jackson. However, Gilmore’s experience and talent are just too good to risk losing, especially after they traded for him.
It took time for Gilmore to get back in shape following a torn quad, but he ended up playing in 28 percent of the team’s defensive snaps and finished with 16 tackles and two interceptions.
However, opponents struggled to match up against him. His coverage masterclass against Kyle Pitts at the Atlanta Falcons was proof Gilmore is still one of the best in the business and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year winners don’t grow on trees.
If Carolina can lock him up for a few years, their secondary will be in very good hands. Gilmore’s presence would also be highly advantageous to Jaycee Horn, C.J. Henderson, and Keith Taylor Jr.