Stephon Gilmore

First and foremost - thank you Stephon Gilmore! He was the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a key contributor to the Patriots Super Bowl victory over the Los Angeles Rams that year.. 

Cynics will say all the Patriots got (and being generous) in return for Stephon Gilmore was Jamie Collins, a 6th round pick in 2023, and salary cap relief (you could call this a player to be named later). Not much return for a guy most arm chair quarterbacks thought would get back at least a 1st round pick. 

I can recall when Bill Belichick signed Gilmore as a free agent, many of those same arm chair quarterbacks thought Belichick was overpaying for a cornerback. That big contract ended up being a bargain in hindsight but will Belichick ever get credit for the signing? Nope.

My guess is because of the contract impasse Gilmore was not going to contribute to the Patriots this season. Belichick then moved in the best interest of the team to do what was done today. One aspect that doesn't seem to be getting attention is that the trade removed a sure distraction from the team. Distractions are not helpful to winning football in New England.