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The Patriots are signing cornerback Stephon Gilmore, reports Adam Schefter.
Bills free agent CB Stephon Gilmore expects to sign with New England barring any final snags, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2017
This is a bit of a surprise, as the Patriots weren’t expected to be in play for Gilmore. He’s expected to make over $14 million a year.
The expected price tag for free agent CB Stephon Gilmore for the #Patriots is slated to eclipse $14M per year, I’m told. Hefty but worth it
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2017
With Leodis McKelvin released and Nolan Carroll a free agent to be, the Eagles are expected to sign a corner. There were some loose connections with the Eagles, as Gilmore had played for Jim Schwartz in 2014, and the Eagles brought in four former Bills last year in McKelvin, Nigel Bradham, Ron Brooks and Stephen Tulloch. There were never any serious connections, but there’s been significant radio silence from the Eagles so far this offseason.
The domino effect here is that this probably means that either Logan Ryan, an unrestricted free agent, or possibly Malcolm Butler, a restricted free agent, are on the move from the Patriots. No matter what, this has a knock-on effect for the Eagles: the Patriots owe the Eagles a 2018 4th round pick that can become a 3rd if Eric Rowe plays in at least 50% of snaps in 2017.
Meanwhile in other cornerback news, the Texans are not expected to retain A.J. Bouye. He could wind up staying in the AFC South though:
Barring an unexpected change, sources say A.J. Bouye expected to leave Texans for huge free agent deal. Expected to remain in AFC South.
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 9, 2017
Ed Werder reported on ESPN that Ryan could be on the move to Houston to replace Bouye.