Adam Schefter reacts when Stephon Gilmore doesn't show up for mandatory minicamp. (1:18).FOXBOROUGH (Mass.) Stephon Gilmore, New England Patriots cornerback, has made his feelings public about his contract status. It remains to be seen how this affects his future with team. This is one of the most talked about topics at the 2021 training camp.Coach Bill Belichick is rarely forced to negotiate again by public pressure. He might actually be more likely to insist on the point that his preferred method of handling business is behind closed doors.Gilmore, who did not attend June's mandatory minicamps, made reference to a CBS Sports HQ tweet on Tuesday that listed the top-10 highest-paid NFL defensive backs (based on their average annual salaries). Gilmore shared his view that Gilmore's $13 million annual salary didn't make him eligible for the list.Gilmore tweeted, "Oh OK."This was Gilmore's most public statement about his contract. It could be seen as a signal that he is becoming more aggressive in public to get Belichick to raise his pay.These are the main factsSpecifics of the contract: Gilmore signed a 5-year, $65,000,000 deal in 2017 that included $40 million fully guaranteed against injury and $31 Million guaranteed at signing.Patriots CB Stephon Gillmore didn't attend June's mandatory minicamp.He refers to a list of highest-paid DBs in NFL (based on average annually value), in which he doesn’t make the top 10. pic.twitter.com/Lqm7DHm0Xk Mike Reiss, @MikeReiss June 29, 2021One analyst said that the average salary of $13million per season was close to the top, but it was the high number of guarantees that made this deal one of the strongest. In 2021, Gilmore will enter the fifth year of this deal and is expected to receive a $7 million base salary. The Patriots have credited Gilmore with a $4.5 million increase in 2020. This resulted in a low $7 million salary.CB market. Since Gilmore signed his unrestricted, free agent contract, the market for cornerbacks has exploded. The Los Angeles Rams' Jalen Rams' average of $20 million per season, while the Baltimore Ravens’ Marlon Huffrey's average annual salary is $19.5 million. Gilmore's average annual salary of $13 million per year is tied with Adoree Jackson of the New York Giants. This is the balance that players seek when signing five-year front-loaded contracts. If they perform well (like Gilmore), they may consider themselves underpaid in their final years. They could also be terminated if they fail to perform.Injury status: Gilmore's return from the quad tear that ended his season last week 15 in Week 15 is complicating his situation. Gilmore turns 31 on September.What happens next? Fines of $50,000 per Day are imposed on players who fail to report to training camp. This is because the owners wanted to discourage any holdouts.To prove his point, Gilmore would be willing to take a financial loss. Is it worth the risk of Belichick being distracted by positive momentum after an offseason?Each side has approximately a month to reach a compromise. This could include an extension or a Tom Brady/Rob Gronkowski-type sweetener that allows Gilmore to earn more on incentives.
