Buffalo Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore “planning to go out to training camp,” per report

Despite no long-term contract extension, Buffalo Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore is planning on being at training camp, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson.

"I'm planning to go out to training camp,” Gilmore told Anderson. “I know what I am. It'll happen eventually."

Gilmore gave conflicting answers about a possible training camp holdout when he was asked by reporters at the team’s minicamp in June. At first, Gilmore said, "of course" when asked if he would report to training camp.

However he went on to say, “I’m gonna compete whenever I get there, I’m gonna compete. I’m gonna work on my craft in training camp and carry that over into the season, have a great year and see what happens.”

When asked to clarify what he meant by “whenever I get there” – a possible hint that he would have a mini holdout – Gilmore said, “We’ll see.”

The Bills picked up his fifth-year option – which will pay him $11.082 million in 2016 – but it’s safe to assuming he isn’t happy about not reaching a long-term deal with the before training camp. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported last week that contract talks haven’t progressed and Gilmore is set to play out the final year of his rookie deal.

All in all, it’s good news for the Bills that Gilmore, one of the team’s defensive cornerstones, is planning to be in attendance when the Bills open training camp at St. John Fisher College on July 29. The team needs its entire starting defense intact in camp to work out the kinks and fix a defense that went from fourth in the league in yards allowed in 2014, to 19th in 2015.