The Dallas Cowboy stunned fans last offseason when they traded for Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks. There was hope that Gilmore and Cooks would buoy a potential deep playoff run, but a limp 2023 draft class paired with other fatal flaws derailed those hopes.
While Cooks is signed through the 2024 season, Gilmore is a free agent. Somewhat surprisingly, Gilmore still hasn't found a new home as the Cowboys embark on their second week of OTAs.
Amid Gilmore's free agency, fans have been vocal about wanting him back. After all, Dallas only caught a glimpse of the potential of a Gilmore-Trevon Diggs cornerback tandem before Diggs went down with a torn ACL in practice before the third game of the season.
The opportunity is there for the Cowboys to realize their vision. There's no reason to think Gilmore isn't open to returning to Dallas. The 33-year-old is on the record saying he wants to run it back and he has given the team another reason to re-sign him ... not that Jerry Jones will do a thing about it.
During a recent podcast appearance, Gilmore was asked to list his top five cornerbacks. Diggs checked in at No. 5 behind the Broncos' Patrick Surtain, the Jets' Sauce Gardner, the Browns' Denzel Ward and the 49ers' Charvarius Ward, respectively.
"Just playing with him this past year before he tore his ACL, he was out for first-team All-Pro year before he tore his knee up. But ya know his ball skills, the way his knack for the ball, his competitiveness. I've been around a lot of great corners, bro, and he can be the best corner in the league if he really just lock in. The talent is there. From the outside looking in, I'm like he got great ball skills, but actually being around him, man, this corner can really take over the league if he do the right things to set himself up."
That is big praise for Diggs considering how many great cornerbacks there are. Some names that Gilmore left off his list include Packers star Jaire Alexander, former Chief-turned-Titan La'Jarius Sneed, Chiefs' do-it-all phenom Trent McDuffie and Bears breakout star Jaylon Johnson.
Diggs catches heat for his "boom or bust" tendencies, but he firmly belongs in the top-five conversation. Though his interception output dipped in 2022 after he picked off 11 passes the season prior, he was a better overall player. Before his knee injury last season, he looked to take another leap in his development, specifically as an open-field tackler.
The bottom line is Diggs is a special talent. Gilmore only got to share the field with Diggs for two games, but the Cowboys could change that. They'll get an additional $9.5 million in cap room after June 1 thanks to releasing Michael Gallup. We can't think of a better way to spend that cash than on Gilmore.
