The Dallas Cowboys have several players set to test free agency, but they are now being predicted to bring back a key piece. Of all the moves last offseason, trading for corner Stephon Gilmore may have been their best but his future in Dallas is not guaranteed.

In fact, Dallas has yet to offer him a new contract. On March 13, Gilmore will be free to sign with whoever. But now Pro Football Network’s John Fields is predicting that the Cowboys will bring him back.

“DaRon Bland was an integral playmaker in the unit, but the veteran Gilmore also stepped up as a dependable option alongside Bland at corner,” Fields wrote on February 25. “Gilmore may not still be at his Pro Bowl levels of years past, but he remained a strong contributor last year… Bringing back Gilmore makes plenty of sense for Dallas, allowing it to continue easing [Trevon] Diggs back in and have strong depth in the event of another serious injury within the unit in 2024.”

Gilmore was a welcome, steady presence for the Cowboys in 2023. In retrospect, Trevon Diggs’ ACL tear only further highlighted how important the addition was. As the 2024 offseason starts, re-signing the 5-time Pro Bowler feels like the right move.

Gilmore Steps In for Dallas in 2023

At 33 years old, there were concerns that Dallas was signing Gilmore too late. He made back-to-back All-Pro appearances in 2018 and 2019, but had only made 30 starts from 2020 through 2022.

But Gilmore was as consistent as corners can be. According to Pro Football Reference, he allowed a QB rating of 82.7 and a completion percentage of 55.8%. With 13 passes defended and two interceptions, his 17 starts were the definition of solid.

His tackling was also encouraging, as he finished with 54 solo tackles and a 5.6% missed tackle percentage. The Cowboys have benefitted from the “feast or famine” approach that Diggs and DaRon Bland take, but it’s important to have a steadier hand in the secondary as well.

Perhaps the icing on the cake for Gilmore’s 2023 season was the lack of injuries. 2023 marked the first season that Gilmore appeared in every regular season game since 2019.

Cowboys Could Be Priced Out of Gilmore Signature

All of these stats backing up Gilmore’s 2023 season come with a literal price. That kind of corner play is hard to find, and Gilmore may have earned himself another 8-figure contract.

Spotrac projects a one-year, $11.2 million deal for Gilmore in 2024, which may be out of Dallas’ price range. The Cowboys are currently projected to be $3.2 million over the salary cap for 2024, so they need to make moves just to get under the cap.

And considering that contracts for WR CeeDee Lamb and LB Micah Parsons are looming, money is even tighter. Paying Gilmore may just not be feasible, although they could maybe get him to accept a lesser deal.

Gilmore is worth the money, but that kind of money for a player who may be the No. 3 corner is risky. If Bland and Diggs are healthy and at their best, Gilmore is likely the odd man out.