Reports: Gilmore restructure creates cap space for Patriots, how will they use it?

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The recent restructuring of cornerback Stephon Gilmore's contract has given the Patriots more than $5.3 million in cap space to work with. Will they use it to make a deal before the Oct. 30 trade deadline?

The Patriots recently converted most of Gilmore's $4.95 million of salary into a signing bonus prorated over four years, creating $3.7 million in cap room, as first reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero

Gilmore's cap number goes from $12.5 million to $8.8, according to Miguel Benzan of Boston Sports Journal. That gives the Pats $5.379 million in cap space, per NFL Players Association records. With needs at safety, linebacker, defensive end and perhaps running back, New England may use that to facilitate a trade by the 4 p.m. deadline Oct. 30. 

The Patriots are usually active at the deadline with most recent notable acquisitions of cornerback Aqib Talib in 2012, linebackers Akeem Ayers and Jonathan Casillas in 2014, defensive tackle Akiem Hicks and linebacker Jonathan Bostic in 2015 and linebacker Kyle Van Noy in 2016, and, of course, the acquisition of a second-round pick from the 49ers for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo last year.

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