Stephon Gilmore Not Expected At Patriots Minicamp
FOXBORO (CBS) -- The Patriots are holding mandatory minicamp this week, but one of their most important players isn't partaking. Star cornerback Stephon Gilmore is once again absent on Tuesday, and the team isn't expecting him to arrive before the camp wraps up on Wednesday.
"I don't expect him to be here and we'll just focus on the guys that are here," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said of Gilmore on Tuesday.
Gilmore is reportedly unhappy as he enters the final year of his contract, which will pay him just $7 million after some cap maneuvering by the Patriots in 2020. He also skipped out on OTAs over the last few weeks, though those were voluntary. With this week's minicamp a mandatory session, Gilmore could face some fines from the team for missing these sessions.
The 31-year-old corner played in 11 games last season, coming down with one interception, three defended passes and 37 total tackles. Gilmore missed time in the middle of the season with a knee injury and then the final two games after undergoing quadriceps surgery in December.
It appears as though Belichick tried to soften the blow of Gilmore's absence ever so slightly on Monday, pointing to the weather as an excuse as to why some players did not show up on time.
