Organized team activities (OTAs) have commenced around the NFL, with the Dallas Cowboys having started their next offseason phase earlier this week. Several former Cowboys are still looking for work despite the offseason's rapid nature, leaving them and other notable free agents with limited time to find a new job before July's training camps begin.
The silver lining for current unemployed players is that OTAs and training camps can open the door for new playing opportunities as injuries mount league-wide. In fact, that's the case for a former Cowboys cornerback who has a new potential landing spot following the NFL's latest injury.
Cardinals Are Perfect Fit for Former Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore After Sean Murphy-Bunting Injury
On Thursday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Arizona Cardinals "have placed CB Sean Murphy-Bunting on the reserve/non-football injury list." Rapoport added that the ailment will result in the former Central Michigan defender missing the entire 2025 season.
Considering how they added rookie cornerbacks Will Johnson and Denzel Burke during last month's draft, there's a good chance the Cardinals were expecting Murphy-Bunting to miss some time. Having said that, the NFL can be daunting to first-year defenders, especially as they go up against some of the league's top receivers.
If the Cardinals don't want to hamper Johnson and Burke's development by throwing them into the fire too early, targeting ex-Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore makes a ton of sense.
Cowboys fans will remember Gilmore from spending the 2023 season in the Lone Star State. The former AP Defensive Player of the Year played a big role in Dallas having the ninth-best Pro Football Focus coverage grade (81.8) that season, recording 54 solo tackles, 13 broken-up passes (his most since 2019), two interceptions, and a forced fumble.
Gilmore left town the following offseason, joining the Minnesota Vikings on a one-year deal. He played well in his 15 starts as a Viking, breaking up nine passes while registering 40 solo tackles and his 32nd career INT. His 60.4 PFF coverage grade was nothing short of disappointing; however, a fresh start in the desert could be what he needs to end his career on a higher note.
A potential signing is also more likely given the Cardinals' past connection to Gilmore.
Former Arizona wideout DeAndre Hopkins stoked the flames about the standout CB potentially being traded to the Cardinals when he called Gilmore "the best corner in the game" via social media. Even though time has passed and Hopkins has since left town, the team's interest might be more legitimate this time around now that Murphy-Bunting is out for the year.
With injuries around the NFL bound to pile up sooner rather than later, Gilmore could find himself signing with the Cardinals — or another CB-needy team — before the offseason kicks into its next gear. Assuming he does find work, Cowboys fans wish their former defender nothing but the best of luck.