These are the top five cornerbacks for the Buffalo Bills over the past 40 years&l..."/> These are the top five cornerbacks for the Buffalo Bills over the past 40 years&l..."/> These are the top five cornerbacks for the Buffalo Bills over the past 40 years&l..."/>
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Buffalo Bills: Top 5 cornerbacks in the past 40 years

By Kendall Mirsky

Buffalo Bills cornerback Terrence McGee returns a kickoff in a game against the Denver Broncos at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on December 17, 2005. Denver won the game 28-17. (Photo by Mark Konezny/NFLPhotoLibrary)
Buffalo Bills cornerback Terrence McGee returns a kickoff in a game against the Denver Broncos at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on December 17, 2005. Denver won the game 28-17. (Photo by Mark Konezny/NFLPhotoLibrary) /
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Buffalo Bills
ORCHARD PARK, NY – DECEMBER 24: Stephon Gilmore #24 of the Buffalo Bills jogs on the field prior to the game against the Miami Dolphins at New Era Field on December 24, 2016 in Orchard Park, New York. The Miami Dolphins defeated the Buffalo Bills 34-31 in overtime. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images) /

Number 4: Stephon Gilmore

In the 2012 NFL Draft the Buffalo Bills selected Stephon Gilmore with the 10th overall pick. After being drafted, Gilmore spent five seasons with the Bills before being signed by the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent in 2017.

Being over 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, Gilmore immediately presented himself as a corner that would be physical at the line of scrimmage. During his time in Buffalo, Gilmore had 14 total interceptions at just 2.8 interceptions per season. Although he had a low interception rate while in Buffalo, where Gilmore added value was his ability to contest the catch point with physicality and sound technique. In his five seasons with the Bills, Gilmore had 62 passes defensed at 12.4 per season.

In addition to his physicality in coverage, Gilmore was equally as physical and willing in run support. In 2016, Gilmore’s final year in Orchard Park, he made the Pro Bowl in part due to the five interceptions he had in that season. Gilmore also had his second highest tackle output with the Bills that year, only behind his impressive rookie season with 61 tackles.

Although Gilmore may be leaps and bounds better now in New England than he was while in Buffalo, what people need to remember is that Gilmore was in his development years with the Buffalo Bills. The rate at which he produced and contributed to the Bills defense in those years was way above the expectation for a cornerback that young. In addition to the 61 tackles Gilmore had in his rookie season, he added 16 passes defensed as well as one interception and two forced fumbles.

During those development years, Gilmore did struggle a bit with defensive holding and pass interference but his physicality at that position is bound to attract more of those calls from the referee. With that being said, Gilmore finds himself at the four spot above Terrence McGee due to the comparison of their per season contributions at just the cornerback position. Without the kick return production, Terrence McGee simply isn’t as good in coverage as Gilmore while they were in Buffalo.

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