EAGAN, Minn. — He will be 34 next month, but the signing of Stephen Gilmore could be their biggest defensive free agent contract in recent memory.

Gilmore came to his first training session on Monday wearing purple.

“I’m feeling pretty good right now,” he said. “I’m just trying to get better every day. That’s the main thing.”

Gilmore played the 2023 season for the Dallas Cowboys, recording a career-high 68 tackles. He has been weighing his options. This preseason, several teams competed for Gilmore’s services, with the Vikings’ offer being the most attractive.

“I know it was a tough battle,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “A lot of teams might look at him and think about potentially adding him to their team. We wanted to make sure he knows what an opportunity this is for him. Not just on the field, but I think he has an incredible opportunity to impact our team.”

Gilmore says he chose the Vikings because of the way they treat their players.

“From the training room to the weight room, everything is top notch. That’s one of the reasons I chose to come here,” he said.

Gilmore is reuniting with defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who he worked with in New England in 2019 when Gilmore won Defensive Player of the Year honors.

“The attackers are really afraid to go against his defense,” Gilmore said. “So I know he’s pretty well disguised. He’s always had a good defense no matter where he went. I just try to be a part of that.”

It’s unlikely Gilmore will play in the final preseason game, but he’s been around for over a decade – and he’s one of the best. The Vikings hope his Hall of Fame career isn’t over yet.

“Whenever I step between those lines, I try to be tough,” Gilmore said. “Just to show people I’ve still got it. I just have to keep proving it. Every year you have to put the year before behind you and prove it again every year.”