Since being drafted with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2012 draft, cornerback Stephon Gilmore has recorded 178 total tackles, four forced fumbles, 50 pass deflections and nine interceptions for the Buffalo Bills. Pro Football Focus named him the 14th best CB in the entire league last year, rewarding him with an impressive grade of 84.6. In short, he's a building block player.
As a result, it's no surprise that he's angling for a new contract as he enters the final year of his rookie deal. But with the rising cost of corners on the open market and Buffalo's reluctance to give any ground thus far, this situation could turn ugly fast.
As of now, Gilmore will not be attending the team's organized activities (OTAs), which begin today. Instead, he'll be training on his own while the two sides negotiate a long-term extension.
Buffalo's workouts this weekend are all voluntary, as are OTAs over the next two weeks, so Gilmore can't be fined or punished for not showing up. Still, his absence sends a pretty clear message to the Bills' top brass. Buffalo's mandatory minicamp begins in mid-June, and Gilmore can (and will) be fined if he isn't present at that time.
How far apart are the two sides on a new deal? It's hard to say, as specific numbers have not been disclosed publicly. But NFL fans need only to look at this year's crop of free agent cornerbacks to understand the market. The New York Giants signed Janoris Jenkins to a five-year deal worth $62.5 million ($28.8 million guaranteed), while the Washington Redskins handed Josh Norman a mammoth five-year deal worth $75 million ($50 million guaranteed).
Norman's deal marks the largest for a CB in NFL history, so Gilmore won't be approaching those heights. But something slightly more lucrative than Jenkins' contract - neither player has been named to a Pro Bowl, though Gimore was selected 29 picks ahead of Jenkins in 2012 and has been more consistent - makes sense. Gilmore is set to earn $11 million in 2016 on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal.
Buffalo still has around $14 million in salary cap space after extending franchise left tackle Cordy Glenn this month. Let's see if it puts any of that room to use with its star CB.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
