3 Cowboys Offseason Moves That Already Look Genius
2. Acquiring Stephon Gilmore
The Cowboys had one of the better pass defenses in 2022, allowing a 62.7% completion rate (No. 11 in the NFL) and only 200.9 passing yards per game (No. 10).
While Jerry Jones could've easily kept the status quo again, he opted to acquire veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick.
It was a popular move among the fanbase right away. After all, Gilmore — the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year — has been one of the most consistent CBs over the last decade, making four Pro Bowls with two first-team All-Pro appearances since 2016.
The good news is that Gilmore looked as elite as advertised in Week 1. The 12th-year defender broke up 4 of the 7 passes sent his way and even came down with an interception while allowing a 19.6 passer rate when targeted.
#Giants $160 million QB Daniel Jones throws a pick to Stephon Gilmore.pic.twitter.com/6e2C33YlCS
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 11, 2023
Pro Football Focus awarded Gilmore with a whopping 89.9 overall grade for his efforts, ranking second on Dallas' defense behind only defensive lineman Dorace Armstrong (93.0).
For as much praise and hype as Trevon Diggs deserves, it's clear that Gilmore adds another elite coverage threat to our secondary. He's turning 33 soon, so I don't expect a dominant performance like this every game, but that doesn't change the fact that adding the ex-Gamecock could wind up being one of the top reasons the Cowboys compete for a Super Bowl this year.