After strong finish to 2017, Stephon Gilmore confident heading in second season with Patriots

FOXBOROUGH — Based on the way last season ended, I’m not sure you could blame cornerback Stephon Gilmore for being the first guy on the field at the initial training camp practice of the season Thursday morning.

After a mostly miserable start to 2017 — one that included a training camp fight with Julian Edelman and some real struggles at the start of the regular season — Gilmore finished the year in style. He was excellent down the stretch and into the postseason, and made what could be remembered as the signature defensive play of the year when he knocked a fourth-down pass attempt away from Jacksonville’s DeDe Westbrook late in the AFC title game, helping secure the contest for the Patriots.



So when Gilmore was spotted as the first one at the top of the steps Thursday morning, it wasn’t a surprise. For him, it was part of a trend that started during the OTAs and spring workouts where he was out on the practice field earlier than most.

“I felt pretty good in OTAs and minicamps,” he told BostonSportsJournal.com after practice Thursday. “I’m just trying to (keep) that same routine.”

Last year, Gilmore was a defender who was in the midst of a very public learning curve. The 27-year-old, who had signed a five-year deal with New England that included $31 million in guaranteed money, appeared to be struggling to acclimate to the Patriots’ scheme, not to mention communication issues with his teammates. He sustained a concussion in October, which left him sidelined for three games, something that compounded his problems.

But something clicked over the second half of the season — according to Football Outsiders, he allowed 8.9 adjusted yards per pass from Weeks 5 to 10 but 6.8 adjusted yards per pass after returning from the concussion in Week 10. He was impressive in the postseason, and while fellow cornerback Malcolm Butler was the predominant storyline in Super Bowl LII, it’s worth noting Gilmore held Philly’s Alshon Jeffery to two catches (on five targets) for 17 yards in the loss.

On Thursday, he wouldn’t specifically point to a reason for the improvement, only referencing the fact he’s become far more comfortable in the system. (He also wouldn’t talk about whether it was because — at least from the outside — it looked like he was playing more press coverage late in the year than earlier in the season.) Basically, now, he feels like he’s secure in what he’s being asked to do and his overall level of execution.