The Minnesota Vikings may have waited until the last minute to add cornerback Stephon Gilmore to their defense, but it’s an addition that has proven to be worth the wait, according to ESPN.
Behind the impressive E$PN payout system, Aaron Schatz named five players whose contracts with their new teams are working out well, and Gilmore is listed among those five. Here’s what Schatz had to say about Gilmore’s performance so far this season:
The raw coverage statistics are pretty average for Gilmore, who has one interception this season. He allowed a lot of shorter completions and finally gave up his first touchdown against the Rams in Week 8, a 7-yard score to Cooper Kupp. However, Gilmore’s coverage DVOA is near the top of the league due to adjustments made to who he had to cover. He’s had tough tests against these key receivers this season:
The first week: Malik Al-Nabras
Week 2: Combination of Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel Sr.
Week 3: Nico Collins
Week 4: Combination of Romeo Dobbs and Dontaveon Weeks
Week 5: Garrett Wilson
Week 7: All over the place, covering all the Lions receivers and Sam Laporta at times
Week 8: Mix of Cobb and Puka Nakoa
Schatz also tells us that Gilmore’s DVOA for last season placed him 57th out of 93 eligible players while he was with the Dallas Cowboys. This season, his DVOA rating currently places him 15th out of 89 qualifying cornerbacks. That’s pretty powerful for a man in his mid-30s.
Gilmore only signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Vikings when he joined the team, so it’s not likely he’ll stay here beyond this season. However, it’s good that he’s proven to be a big part of a defense that remains among the NFL’s best despite rough performances over the past two weeks.
