The Cowboys' Curious Case of Cornerback Commitment: Is Stephon Gilmore Being Overlooked?

It’s a peculiar thing, this annual dance of NFL free agency. Every year, we watch as teams, including our beloved Dallas Cowboys, make choices that, honestly, sometimes just make you scratch your head. And this off-season, one particular storyline — the fate of veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore — has truly begun to feel like a head-scratcher.

You see, Gilmore, a former Defensive Player of the Year, was brought to Dallas via a rather modest trade with the Indianapolis Colts last March, only a fifth-round pick. Many saw it as a steal then, and in truth, he absolutely lived up to that promise. All season long, he was a steady, impactful force in the secondary. He started every single game, mind you, snagging 13 pass deflections – that's tied for the team lead – and picking off two crucial passes, alongside making 68 tackles. He was, to put it simply, integral to a pass defense that ranked fifth in opponent passer rating. Not bad for a 33-year-old, right?

But then, the rumor mill started churning. Just recently, before the L'Jarius Sneed trade to the Titans was finalized, whispers grew loud that Dallas was, perhaps, keenly interested in the Chiefs’ then-unfranchised cornerback. And this is where the plot thickens, doesn't it? Because if the Cowboys were seriously looking at Sneed, it implies something rather significant: a certain lack of urgency, maybe even an outright reluctance, to secure Gilmore for another season.

This isn’t just speculation; it feels like a subtle, yet powerful, hint. Despite Gilmore’s consistent, high-level play, and what seemed like a genuine desire on his part to stay in Dallas, the team appeared to be eyeing younger, and let's be frank, potentially more expensive, options. It’s a classic NFL conundrum, you could say: the age-old debate of proven veteran performance versus the allure of youth and future potential. But for once, it truly feels like a misstep.

The Cowboys, we know, are not exactly strapped for cash when it comes to cap space. They’ve got room, certainly more than enough to negotiate a fair deal with a player who, just months ago, was anchoring their defense. So, why the apparent hesitation? Is it purely about age, or is there a deeper, perhaps more frugal, strategy at play here that the rest of us are missing? Honestly, it’s perplexing to consider letting a known, high-performing commodity like Gilmore walk, only to then chase after a new, potentially riskier, acquisition.

One can only hope the Cowboys’ front office has a master plan, a brilliant chess move we're not seeing. Because right now, from the outside looking in, letting a talent like Stephon Gilmore simply slip away, especially after such a strong showing, feels like a curious, perhaps even costly, gamble for America's Team.