The Cincinnati Bengals entered this offseason with several key contributors on both sides of the ball needing new deals.
Many expected the team to lose standout wide receiver Tee Higgins due to the team needing defensive help more, but the team decided to hand Higgins a massive extension. As a result, defenders Trey Hendrickson and Germaine Pratt have requested trades, and veteran slot corner Mike Hilton remains unsigned.
The defense is the main reason the Bengals missed the playoffs in 2024, so it’s a bit surprising to see the team seemingly set to part with some talented defenders. Hilton, in particular, is a steady starter who likely wouldn’t have been too expensive for the Bengals to keep around.
Instead, Hilton remains a free agent, and Matt Bowen of ESPN thinks the defender could be a great fit in Atlanta with the Falcons.
Regarding Hilton’s potential fit in Atlanta, Bowen offered the following:
A slot corner who plays with a sense of urgency, Hilton would immediately upgrade the Falcons’ nickel package. He has a natural feel for playing in space as a coverage defender, with the aggressive mentality to tackle and blitz on the edges. The fit also works here in Raheem Morris’ zone-heavy defense (61.2% of opponent dropbacks in 2024).
Hilton can match inside or patrol alleys as an overhang defender and blitzer. He has recorded 13 interceptions, 11.5 sacks and 34 pass breakups in eight NFL seasons.
As Bowen mentioned, Hilton has always produced in the slot and could be a natural fit for Raheem Morris’ zone-heavy defense.
Currently, the Falcons have Dee Alford penciled in as the nickel corner. Alford struggled in 2024, with Pro Football Focus giving the corner a 58.2 overall grade. Rookie fourth-round pick Billy Bowman Jr. could factor in at the position, but the team could prefer an established veteran option like Hilton.
In 2024, Hilton played in 16 games for the Bengals and collected 73 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five pass deflections, and one interception.
Pro Football Focus gave Hilton an elite 91.7 run-defense grade, which was the best grade among 222 qualified cornerbacks. The veteran earned a solid 68.5 grade in coverage as well, to combine for a 75.9 overall grade which ranked 24th out of 222 qualified corners.
Adding a player like Hilton would not only help the pass defense, but the run defense would be significantly upgraded as well. Additionally, Hilton could help mentor a young secondary in Atlanta that features promising youngsters like Bowman, Clark Phillips III, and Cobee Bryant.
Spotrac projects the veteran to land a deal worth $12.3 million annually, but with the season inching closer, Hilton would possibly settle for less at this point.
