Organized team activities and mandatory minicamps seem like a distant memory as training camps around the NFL are set to begin in the coming weeks. The Dallas Cowboys will be heading back to Oxnard, CA, for their annual summertime workouts, with veterans and rookies both set to report on Monday, July 21.
The 2025 offseason has seen the Cowboys make plenty of moves in preparation for head coach Brian Schottenheimer's first year behind the bench; however, there's always room for improvement. Several notable free agents are still looking to sign new contracts this summer, including a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year whom America's Team knows all too well.
Cowboys Should Invite Former DPOY Stephon Gilmore to Training Camp
Players often use previous connections to land new offseason opportunities, which is why veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore should be interested in a Cowboys contract. The ex-DPOY has struggled to land a new contract this offseason, and it's gotten to the point where Gilmore sounds desperate for any chance to play football again.
Fortunately for him, cornerback is a position that Dallas could use more depth in. The Cowboys didn't have any of their CBs reach the double-digit game mark last season, highlighting the need to add a reliable veteran like Gilmore for depth.
It's safe to say the ex-South Carolina Gamecock's resume speaks for itself. Gilmore has been one of the NFL's top cornerbacks since being drafted 10th overall by the Buffalo Bills in 2012. He's since played 180 games spread across five franchises, all while amassing 521 solo tackles, 149 broken-up passes, 32 interceptions (2 Pick-6s), seven forced fumbles, and a sack.
That's without mentioning his plethora of accolades, which include five Pro Bowl appearances, two All-Pro first-team nods, and, of course, his 2019 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year victory.
After spending 2023 with the Cowboys, Gilmore joined the Minnesota Vikings on a one-year deal for the 2024 campaign. It was far from his best performance as he recorded underwhelming Pro Football Focus grades of 62.2 and 59.2 for defense and coverage, respectively.
Offseason additions can come with a risk, especially if they're new to a franchise, which is why it makes sense for the Cowboys to give Gilmore an invite. Even if he doesn't end up securing a contract, his presence could motivate a Dallas CB room that includes Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam, and rookie Shavon Revel Jr. to step up.
A training camp tryout is a low-risk move with potentially high rewards, which is why the Cowboys must invite Gilmore to Oxnard before another team has a similar idea.