The Washington Commanders have been more active than any other team in football this offseason. New head coach Dan Quinn has attempted to change this roster and has done so by adding multiple former Dallas Cowboys. Quinn knows them from his stop as the defensive coordinator there and players clearly want to play for him, a promising sign for the Commanders organization. Another former Cowboys defensive player is viewed as the best fit for the Commanders, perhaps the best yet.
According to David Kenyon of Bleacher Report, two-time All-Pro Stephon Gilmore fits the Commanders’ needs.
“When a player suits up for four different teams in four straight years, that typically isn’t a good thing. Stephon Gilmore is an exception to that rule, though.
“The veteran cornerback has been consistently great at each stop, most recently for the Dallas Cowboys. He yielded 6.9 yards per target and a passer rating of only 82.7 in 2023, ending the season with 13 pass breakups and two interceptions.”
Gilmore, while getting older at 33 years old, still had an impressive season. He allowed the lowest completion percentage of his career in the past four seasons at just 55.8%. He added another two interceptions, making it three straight seasons with two interceptions.
What Would Gilmore Bring to the Commanders?
With Kendall Fuller and Kamren Curl on the way out, the Washington Commanders need to replace two of the better defensive players on their roster in 2023. Gilmore would fill that exact need at the cornerback position and be able to do so at a high level.
The Commanders allowed the most points in the NFL last season, giving up more than 30.5 points per game. They were the worst unit in football by a wide margin, allowing nearly four more points per game than any other team in the league.
Washington also allowed 262.2 passing yards per game, which was also the worst in football. Gilmore brings a clear need to the worst defense in football in 2023 and factoring in his familiarity with Quinn, this pairing would make the perfect season.
The Cowboys and Commanders Connection Might Strike Again
The Washington Commanders have signed multiple former Dallas Cowboys players, including Noah Igbinoghene, Dorance Armstrong, and Tyler Biadasz.
Given Quinn knows what he can expect from each of these players, the decision to sign them makes sense. They haven’t necessarily been star additions, but most of them will be key additions on both sides of the football. However, there’s a clear connection between the teams and that’s not a bad thing for the Commanders.
Landing Gilmore would be the same thing. He’s past his prime, but he’s still putting up impressive seasons.
Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department viewed Gilmore as a fit for the Commanders before free agency started, writing about how he could show them how to win.
“However, Washington has to add cornerback help, especially with Kendall Fuller slated to hit the market. Adding Stephon Gilmore from the rival Cowboys would make a ton of sense, both because he’s a quality starter and because he’s an experienced leader who could help in the locker room.
“This Commanders team isn’t accustomed to success, and Gilmore, a former Defensive Player of the Year and one-time Super Bowl champ, can help show Washington how to win.”
