Panthers GM provides injury update on Stephon Gilmore

Carolina Panther general manager Scott Fitterer provided an early injury update on the team’s newest player. Following a trade to bring All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore closer to home, the Panthers must wait for him to clear the PUP list after quad surgery.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Fritterer and the Panthers organization are hopeful Gilmore will come off the PUP list after Week Six and be ready to play against the New York Giants in Week Seven.

The Panthers are set to face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week Five and the Minnesota Vikings in Week Six, before hopefully activating their new star.

Carolina Panthers arrival

The Carolina Panthers struck a deal for star cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who is recovering from a quad injury.

Today, the Patriots announced they would release Gilmore. However, the Panther swooped in prior to the 4 PM EST deadline, when Gilmore would have become a free agent.

“Stephon Gilmore is coming home,” the Panthers wrote in a release following the move. “The Panthers traded for the veteran cornerback Wednesday, sending a 2023 sixth-rounder to New England.”

Now, the potential the Panthers secondary possesses is unlimited. In addition to Gilmore, the Panthers have two former top-10 picks on the outside — Jaycee Horn and C.J. Henderson.

Gilmore and the Patriots decided to end their relationship when they couldn’t come to an agreement on a restructured contract. Evidently, Stephon Gilmore’s contract and injury were not problems for the Panthers.

They did not want to chance the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year hitting the open market. Now, Gilmore is back home in the Carolinas.

New England Patriots departure

Originally, the New England Patriots planned to release their star defensive back in a stunning early morning move, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“A stunner: Patriots are releasing four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who was eligible to come off the Physically Unable to Perform List after Week 6, source tells ESPN,” tweeted Schefter.

Schefter mentioned that the move was motivated due to contract concerns. He tweeted the two sides “could not agree to terms on a restructured contract and now the two sides are going their own ways.”

“Patriots were roughly $54,000 under the cap and needed financial flexibility, which this move impacts. Gilmore had a $7 million base salary this season in what is the final season of his expiring contract,” added Schefter.

Schefter mentioned many teams were expected to have interest, and the market would be robust. Evidently, the Panthers won out.

Gilmore was drafted by the Buffalo Bills but left for New England via free agency in 2017. On Bill Belichick’s squad, he blossomed into the league’s top cornerback. Moreover, he won a Super Bowl and was recognized as the best defensive player in the entire league.