Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton (21) celebrates a stop in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. The Bengals won 19-17 to finish the regular season at 9-8. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bengals Moving On From Former Steelers CB

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Noah Strackbein | Last updated Mar 3, 2025 5:05 PM ET

The Cincinnati Bengals are moving on from veteran cornerback and former Pittsburgh Steelers starter Mike Hilton. The 30-year-old tweeted out a hint that he's headed elsewhere, leaving him as one of the top defensive players on the market this offseason.

Hilton joined the Bengals in 2021 during his first free agency as an unrestricted free agent. An undrafted rookie out of Ole Miss, Hilton signed with the Steelers, where he spent the first four years of his career. With Pittsburgh, he played in 59 games, including 20 starts, and recorded 237 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 30 tackles for loss, five fumble recoveries and seven interceptions.

In 64 games with the Bengals, including 36 starts, Hilton tallied 283 tackles, two sacks, 36 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and six interceptions.

New opportunities always present themselves
— Mike Hilton (@MikeHilton_28) March 3, 2025

Hilton's contract expired at the end of the 2024 season, and it does not appear he's headed back to the Bengals. Cincinnati is trying to work out a deal for Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and will need to work something out with Trey Hendrickson as he's also looking for a bigger contract this upcoming year.

As for the Steelers, they could be a candidate for Hilton. The team started Cam Sutton during the back-half of the season last year, but will look for an alternative in 2025. Beanie Bishop was their orginal starter, but the team seemed to move away from the undrafted rookie later in the year.

This offseason, it's expected that a veteran could come in to start and possibly help develop Bishop. That veteran could be Hilton, who would make his return after four years away from the team.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: