Tag: Mike Hilton

NFL analyst suggests notable free agent CB sign with Vikings

As we get closer to free agency, there is speculation growing on who the Vikings could target to rebuild their secondary. 

The Minnesota Vikings are likely to have a new look on defense in 2025, especially at the cornerback position. All of their cornerbacks are free agents, and many of them outplayed their previous deals.

As free agency approaches, speculation is growing about who the Vikings could target to rebuild their secondary. Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team has an idea for how the Vikings could jump-start their cornerback room.

Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton is set to become a free agent. Despite playing on a less-than-ideal defensive unit, Hilton was a star.

Mosher writes: “Brian Flores loves to blitz, and there isn’t a better blitzer from the slot than Mike Hilton. While he isn’t great in coverage, Hilton does everything else at a high level. He is an outstanding run defender and has a knack for finding the football.”

According to PFF, Hilton was the 23rd-ranked cornerback in the NFL last season. His best grade came in his run support, as he was the top-ranked cornerback in that area with a 91.7 grade.

Hilton could serve as the veteran presence to stabilize what is expected to be a young cornerback group for the Vikings in 2025.

Bengals face brutal free agency decision based on expert rankings

What should the Bengals do with this key free agent?

The Cincinnati Bengals have an intriguing list of free agents heading to the open market soon.

Most, of course, fall far beneath the hype of Tee Higgins’ trip — which just got some cold water thrown on it in a new report.

It’s worth pointing out, though, that plenty of other names on the list are worth circling as notable. One is cornerback Mike Hilton, who still manages to rank 34th overall on the new top 50 free agents list from ESPN’s Matt Bowen:

A slot corner who plays with a sense of urgency, Hilton had 12 tackles for loss and eight pressures this season. He has a natural feel for playing in space as a coverage defender with the aggressive mentality to tackle and blitz on the edges. In eight seasons, Hilton has 13 interceptions, 11.5 sacks and 34 pass breakups.

RELATED: Horrific Cincinnati Bengals injury update changes draft plans

The Bengals have a tough call to make on Hilton. He’ll be 31 next year and was slowing down, to the point of seeing his role reduced last year.

Yet, he’s unquestionably a locker room leader and still very effective near the line and when pressuring the passer. The fact Cam Taylor-Britt hasn’t panned out and both DJ Turner and Dax Hill are coming back from injuries for a shaky cornerback depth chart seem to point in his favor, too.

Tack on the fact Hilton’s ranking like this despite his age still, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Al Golden’s return almost guarantee he gets another contract with the Bengals.

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How much will Mike Hilton get in free agency? Should Bengals re-sign CB?

The Bengals have an interesting dilemma on their hands in free agency with Mike Hilton.

The Cincinnati Bengals will need to make a tough call on veteran cornerback Mike Hilton in free agency. 

Here’s a quick outlook as the Bengals get ready for the offseason.

 

How much will Mike Hilton get in free agency?

Over the Cap estimates Mike Hilton in the $5-6 million average per year range still. Still, he’s 30 years old and that could swing in either direction depending on what the interested teams have as far as cap space and roster needs.

 

Case for Bengals re-signing Hilton

Hilton seemed to stick out more as a positive presence for the defense as the season continued, especially once Lou Anarumo simplified things. He still had nice usage as a blitzer and near the line of scrimmage, although he came off the field on third downs. There’s also much to be said about his ability to mentor a young defensive back room.

 

Case against Bengals re-signing Hilton

The market could really drum up his number beyond what the Bengals want to pay. And there are only so many roster spots to go around if the Bengals want to slant younger with Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner, Dax Hill, DJ Ivey and Josh Newton. That’s five corners already before other free agents and draft picks. There are likely at least three roster locks at safety already, too. There’s also the matter of whether he even fits with the new defensive coordinator.

 

Verdict

Re-sign at the right price. A safe and predictable answer, sure. But getting Hilton back on a short deal would be the right move, especially with so much uncertainty around a cornerback room with CTB erratic and Hill and Turner coming back from injuries.

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Steelers can correct 2021 CB mistake with reunion in 2025 free agency

The Steelers’ 2021 mistake has haunted them for four seasons. Could they finally make things right by bringing Mike Hilton back in 2025?

The Pittsburgh Steelers made one huge mistake in 2021—a mistake so grand that it has impacted the Steel City for four straight seasons. Now, the team has an opportunity to make things right in 2025.

The blunder in question was allowing slot CB Mike Hilton to leave in free agency—ultimately signing with the Steelers’ AFC North rival, the Cincinnati Bengals.

Since his departure, Pittsburgh has struggled to find a reliable slot corner, turning to CBs Cam Sutton, Arthur Maulet, and Chandon Sullivan—while Hilton thrived with the Bengals.

On a terrible 2024 Bengals defense, Hilton was the lone constant of excellence—and has been since signing with the team in 2021. His dominance against both the run and pass has been a game-changer for Cincinnati.

Hilton is expected to test free agency in 2025, as the Bengals have other major contract situations to address, including superstar WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, as well as 2024 sack leader DE Trey Hendrickson.

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers correct their mistake from 2021 and bring Hilton back home where he belongs in 2025?

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Bengals’ Mike Hilton expects ‘bloodbath’ vs. Steelers in Week 18

One veteran of the AFC North knows what’s at stake with playoff implications on the line in Week 18.

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton knows a thing or two about the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Entering his team’s Week 18 clash with Mike Tomlin’s Steelers, Hilton has made sure his guys are on high alert and has said as much in the media, too.

“It’s going to be a bloodbath,” Hilton said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “One team is in the playoffs. We’re fighting for our playoff lives, so it’s going to be fireworks. If I know (Tomlin) he’s talking to the guys right now and getting them fired up before Saturday. We expect to be challenged. All their guys are going to be going. They’re on a three-game skid right now. I’m sure they want to catch some momentum in the playoffs.”

That entire line of thinking is why Tomlin disappointed Bengals fans earlier in the week by suggesting the Steelers would not rest starters.

The Steelers haven’t just lost their previous three games, either — none of them were very close. Understandably, his team losing a fourth to a team that might miss the playoffs wouldn’t be ideal.

Hilton, a former Steelers player himself, has certainly relayed the message and outlined what it will take to control their part of the playoff outlook to the locker room.

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Mike Hilton reveals key to Lou Anarumo’s Bengals defense revival

The Bengals are player better defense…so what changed?

The Cincinnati Bengals have enjoyed better defensive performances over the team’s three-game winning streak.

Many factors go into the sudden revival of what was one of the NFL’s worst-performing units.

Veteran cornerback Mike Hilton might have revealed what sits at the very top of the list.

“Lou has definitely eased things down so that we’re not thinking too much,” Hilton said, according to CLNS Media’s Mike Petraglia. “And then guys are out there actually knowing what they have to do, knowing where they have to be. It puts us in a position to make plays.

Fans will likely bemoan Anarumo waiting to simplify his defense until December, of course.

But other things go into this, too. For one, he didn’t have much of a choice if the complexity was what kept younger players like Jordan Battle and Myles Murphy off the field. Injuries forced the team’s hand there.

While it’s not a positive spin, the Bengals have enjoyed playing some terrible quarterbacks over the three-win streak, too. Dallas had to trot out Cooper Rush, not Dak Prescott, while Tennessee rotated Will Levis and Mason Rudolph and Cleveland started Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

The reason for success, clearly, is a combination of things. All that matters is that it happened and the team still retains slight playoff hopes.

Zooming out, fans just have to hope the Bengals take the right lessons from the resurgence into the offseason, too — meaning critical on-field upgrades and coaching staff changes.

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Bengals $7 million bargain defender predicted to cut ties with Cincy, join Cowboys

The Cowboys might be shopping for slot corners in the offseason and the Bengals’ Mike Hilton could be a great fit.

The Dallas Cowboys have enjoyed employing one of the league’s top slot corners for several seasons. After escaping the weird-dimension doghouse of former secondary coach and passing-game coordinator Kris Richard, the former Michigan Wolverine has steadily filled his resume with outstanding seasons.

However Lewis is on a one-year deal and the eight-year veteran is once again going to be a free agent this coming offseason. If the Cowboys don’t bring Lewis back, which is a huge if considering the status of the coaching staff, then the rebuild may look elsewhere for veteran leadership at the slot. That might make Mike Hilton a top consideration during 2025 free agency.

At least, that’s the thought process of Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, who predicted the Bengals slot corner would join Dallas next spring.

Hilton possesses a tremendous combination of ball skills, awareness, physicality and reactionary speed. He’s appeared in eight games this season, played 67 percent of the defensive snaps and allowed an opposing passer rating of only 69.3 in coverage.

An overlooked part of Hilton’s game is his ability to disrupt plays via the blitz. He has recorded 16 tackles for loss since the start of last season and logged a pair of sacks in 2023.

Despite his size, Hilton has flashed an impressive ability to work through blocks and disrupt the backfield throughout his NFL career.

Dallas has Trevon Diggs signed to a long-term deal and has another year of cheap control of DaRon Bland. Assuming the former continues to recover from his lost 2023 season due to an ACL tear and the latter can get over the foot injury that’s wiped out his 2024 campaign to this point, slot is the only real consideration for the cornerback group in 2025.

Ravens vs. Bengals: Top photos from Baltimore’s 41-38 win in overtime at Paycor Stadium

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 41-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime at Paycor Stadium in Week 5

Lamar Jackson and company rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime with a 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. In overtime, the Bengals recovered a Jackson fumble but could not win it after Evan McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal of his win.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Joe Burrow was 27-for-34 for 353 yards and five touchdown passes, while former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase had nine catches for 174 yards and two scores.

Burrow finished 30-39 passing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and one costly interception. His MVP counterpart, Lamar Jackson, was 26-42 passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson also had 12 carries for 56 yards on the day.

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Joe Burrow dominates early, but Ravens rally for a 41-38 win over Bengals in overtime

Joe Burrow dominates early, but Ravens rally for a 41-38 win over Bengals in overtime

After a week of pundits and experts questioning Joe Burrow’s demise, the former LSU star put the NFL back on notice with a dominant, five-touchdown performance against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium.

Still, it wasn’t enough, as Lamar Jackson and company rallied from a late fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime with a 56-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. In overtime, the Bengals recovered a Lamar Jackosn fumble but were unable to win it after Evan McPherson missed a 56-yard field goal of his win.

Baltimore used a big Derrick Henry run to get into field goal position, and Justin Tucker’s 24 field goals gave the Ravens their third straight win.

At one point in the fourth quarter, Burrow was 27-for-34 for 353 yards and five touchdown passes, while former college teammate Ja’Marr Chase had nine catches for 174 yards and two scores against a Ravens secondary full of first-round picks and high-paid defenders.

Burrow finished 30-39 passing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and one costly interception. His MVP counterpart, Lamar Jackson, was 26-42 passing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson also had 12 carries for 56 yards on the day.

After a slow start, Derrick Henry finished things with a bang, rushing for 91 yards on 15 carries, with one rushing touchdown.

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Bengals’ key defender is a sudden injury question mark vs. Ravens

The Bengals will stand a much better chance vs. Ravens if this trusted veteran can play.

The Cincinnati Bengals have received plenty of good news this week on the defensive side of the ball.

Lou Anarumo’s unit, after all, has gotten some good news on the Trey Hendrickson injury and the comeback status of a few important names.

But it seems like the secondary could miss a key player.

For the first two days of prep before Cincinnati’s Week 5 showdown with the Baltimore Ravens, cornerback Mike Hilton has been out. As noted by CLNS Media’s Mike Petraglia, he’s had a sleeve on his left knee and leg.

Hilton has been one of the best players on defense this season, as in years prior, while playing 68 percent of the snaps.

And his versatility to line up all over the field, blitz and contain, makes Hilton’s presence especially important against a quarterback like Lamar Jackson.

If Hilton is on a limited snap count or outright can’t go against the Ravens, the Bengals will turn to someone like rookie Josh Newton, while also likely getting more safeties like Jordan Battle and Daijahn Anthony involved in the gameplan.

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