The Indianapolis Colts are awarding a two-year, $23 million contract to Stefon Gilmore, which features a assured $14 million, a supply informed ESPN’s Adam Shifter.
Gilmore turned the second veteran addition to the Colts Excessive College this week, after Indianapolis signed security Rodney McLeod on Thursday.
Cornerback was a place the Colts wanted after they changed starter Rock Ya-Sin with the Las Vegas Raiders versus passer Yannick Ngakoue and did not re-sign starter Xavier Rhodes.
The Colts reconfigured their protection following the departure of coordinator Matt Ebervloss, who’s now the pinnacle coach at Chicago, and appointed Gus Bradley as his substitute.
The Indianapolis protection now options five-time Professional Bowlers Gilmore, Ngaku and De Forest Buckner, linebacker Darius Leonard, and one of many league’s finest corners in Kenny Moore. All 5 of those gamers have been chosen to affix a minimum of one Professional Bowl of their careers.
Gilmore performed the 2023 season for the Carolina Panthers, who traded within the 2023 third spherical with the New England Patriots in October to get him. The Panthers have added the 2019 NFL Defensive Participant of the 12 months in hopes of changing first-round decide Jesse Horn, who suffered a season-ending foot damage in Week 3 within the Houston Texans.
Gilmore, 31, was on the listing bodily unable to carry out upon arrival in Carolina, nonetheless recovering from low season surgical procedure on a torn quad and ineligible to return till week six. It was activated within the eighth week and performed the final eight matches, beginning with three. He obtained a interception on his Carolina debut in Atlanta to take care of a 19-13 victory after which adopted that up once more on his dwelling debut towards New England. After the season, he was added to the Professional Bowl as a substitute.
He mentioned after the commerce he didn’t admire the way in which New England dealt with his quadruple damage, which he suffered in Week 15 of the 2020 season.
Gilmore, who grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, informed ESPN earlier than a late-season sport in Buffalo that he want to return to Carolina. The Panthers cherished the veteran management that introduced her to a younger highschool in Carolina. Complicating issues additional was the collection of Dontey Jackson, 26, for the second spherical in 2018, who re-signed with the Panthers on a three-year deal final month.
The tenth general decide within the 2012 draft by the Payments, Gilmore has 27 interceptions and 116 assists he has defended in 10 seasons.
ESPN’s Mike Wells and David Newton contributed to this report.
