Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is taking over a very talented group of players that's headlined by Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, among others.

But there's a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber question he's awaiting clarity on. 

Will cornerback Stephon Gilmore be back or not? The Cowboys traded for him to get a one-year rental type season from him and it definitely paid off. Even after Diggs' injury, Gilmore played all year long at a high level, including against top competition. So much so that during a wild shootout against the Seattle Seahawks, it was him who stopped the bleeding when Dan Quinn had him travel with D.K. Metcalf.

Now, the future is a bit uncertain for Gilmore. The two-time First-Team All-Pro is headed to free agency having raised his price tag with a strong season. However, he will be 34 years old when the season starts and he recently had shoulder surgery that will lead to months of rehab.

What this means for Gilmore's future deal remains to be seen (stick around for a contract projection) but one thing is clear: Zimmer is into the idea of bringing him back for another year.

Zimmer claims he 'loved' Gilmore coming out of college

In a clip from 2023 that resurfaced following his arrival to the Cowboys, Zimmer explains on The 33rd Team why he likes Dallas' secondary.

"I worked out Gilmore when he was coming out of South Carolina, I loved him," Zimmer says in the video below. "He's long, good in-and-out of breaks. (…) I liked him a lot, anyways. He's got great acceleration, he's a tough, competitive guy, very good in the press." 

#Cowboys Mike Zimmer could make re-signing Stephon Gilmore a priority.

In 2023, Zimmer talked about Gilmore’s addition to Dallas and how much he liked him as a player.

He also talks about Trevon Diggs's strengths and vision for how he could coach him ?

(?: @The33rdTeamFB) pic.twitter.com/LrsENWCKWp

— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) February 15, 2024

That sounds like an endorsement to me! Assuming Zimmer still feels the same – and there's no reason to believe otherwise – it's clear the coach would like to have him on the roster now that he'll get to coach this defense instead of discussing it on podcasts. 

If only it were so easy: To make this happen, the Cowboys are gonna have to be ready to pay up as Gilmore won't be precisely cheap.

Stephon Gilmore contract projection

Gilmore could be looking at high-value one-year deal per our own A to Z Sports' contract projection, one of 105 NFL free agents:

Since a disappointing final year in New England, Gilmore has enjoyed a career resurgence playing for three clubs over the past three years. Still making plays on the ball at 33-years-old, Gilmore is no longer the top cornerback in the NFL. But he still provides quality play as a starter and can work as a quality No. 2 perimeter defender.

On the other hand, Gilmore will be entering his age-34 season and there are some signs that his play is slipping. His coverage snaps per target and yards allowed per coverage snap metrics are both trending in the wrong direction. It is reasonable for potential suitors to fear next year is the year that the wheels fall for a guy playing a position that requires said wheels. This will call for another one-year deal (the third in a row for Gilmore) at a lower APY than Gilmore’s statistical production would normally warrant.

Franchise Tag Likelihood: Low
1 yr $8.5M, $8.5M APY, $8.5M fully GTD
Year One Cap Hit: $2.9 million

Cowboys’ Micah Parsons reveals he had personnel conversation with Jerry Jones

Micah let him know.