The Miami Dolphins are in a precarious position as the 2025 season gets closer and closer.
The team wasn’t good enough to make the playoffs in 2024, but also wasn’t bad enough to land a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Dolphins also weren’t loaded with cap space, so solid contributors like Jevon Holland left in free agency, and the team wasn’t able to patch every hole.
Additionally, star wide receiver Tyreek Hill and star cornerback Jalen Ramsey have both been involved in trade rumors and speculation. Trading either of those players would decimate the team’s depth at important positions, and there doesn’t seem to be many internal options.
As a result, the Dolphins could be looking to add at least one veteran in free agency before the season gets underway. Brandon Austin of Pro Football Network believes former Cincinnati Bengal Mike Hilton could be a logical fit.
Regarding the fit of Hilton in Miami, Austin offered the following:
While Mike Hilton may not be the caliber of Ramsey, he could replace his veteran presence and be an immediate upgrade over the rest of the cornerback room. Hilton’s stock took a bit of a hit after a rough 2024 campaign, where he allowed four touchdowns and a 92.0 passer rating on 61 targets. It was one of the worst seasons of his career, but it’s possible that it was an outlier.
He recently turned 31 and is likely past his prime, but he offers value as a slot corner if Miami would consider bumping Kader Kohou outside.
In 2024, Hilton started in 10 games for the Bengals and collected 73 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five pass deflections, and one interception.
Hilton spent the first four seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After a solid run there, Hilton bolted to join the division rival Bengals in free agency. The veteran has collected at least one interception in each of his eight NFL seasons.
While Hilton is just average in coverage, the corner is elite as a run defender. Hilton earned an elite 91.7 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, which was the top mark among 222 qualified corners.
Hilton would not only help the pass defense, but greatly benefit the team’s run defense as well. As Austin mentioned, Hilton would take over as the slot corner in Miami while Kader Kohou could move to the boundary.
Of course, if Ramsey stays in town and the Dolphins add Hilton anyway, this corner group could actually be a strength in 2025. If Ramsey is moved, then Hilton would be a much-needed veteran presence in the room.
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