Tyrod Taylor isn't the only Buffalo Bills star set to reach free agency in 2017.
Standout cornerback Stephon Gilmore will play out the final year of his rookie contract this season, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday.
Gilmore skipped organized team activities in late May, but reported to mandatory minicamp in June. There's no reason to believe he will hold out of training camp next week.
Although general manager Doug Whaley noted in April that he was "actively" attempting to find common ground with Gilmore's representatives, talks never progressed, per Rapoport.
When Rex Ryan's coaching staff arrived in Buffalo two offseasons ago, they immediately began singing the praises of Gilmore as a shutdown corner.
"Where people miss it sometimes is, how many balls get caught on him? They don't complete passes on him," Ryan said in February of 2015. "Now, he might not get all the interceptions ... (but) they're not completing balls on him. ... This guy's an elite guy. There's no question about it."
Quick and physical, Gilmore teams with Ronald Darby to specialize in contested passes, comprising one of the NFL's top cornerback tandems.
If Gilmore and Taylor both play up to expectations in 2016, the Bills could be in a tight spot with the franchise tag.
