Bill Belichick and the Patriots front office still have some tasks to complete before the start of training camp. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes, New England still hasn’t signed first-round quarterback Mac Jones, and both second-round defensive tackle Christian Barmore and third-round defensive end Ronnie Perkins also remain unsigned. According to Reiss, the players’ agents are waiting “to see more contracts finalized before moving forward,” so it’s only a matter of time before these rooks are under contract.
The Patriots also need to resolve their standoff with cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who’s set to play the 2021 season on a below-market $7 million salary. Reiss said the situation “hardly seems contentious,” but both sides will eventually be looking for a resolution.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com recently suggested that a new deal could be in place by the end of the summer (Twitter link), and since New England clearly has designs on returning to the playoffs this season, keeping Gilmore in the fold would seem imperative. However, there are complications. Gilmore will turn 31 in September, and even though he made the Pro Bowl last season, that bid seemed to be based more on name recognition than anything else. He played in only 11 games due to injury and COVID-19, and Pro Football Focus ranked him just 61st among qualified corners. On the flip side, he’s only a year removed from a Defensive Player of the Year Award.
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