Panthers predicted to add Bengals $24 million free agent to address pressing need

The Carolina Panthers have done a great job adding to their defense in 2025 after the unit was terrible last season.

However, there remains a question mark in the slot, where the team is slated to start Chau Smith-Wade, a 2024 fifth-round selection who remains unproven. Carolina also doesn't have sufficient depth at the position.

In order to shore up the interior of the secondary, Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron predicts the Panthers will add former Cincinnati Bengals slot cornerback Mike Hilton in free agency.

"The Panthers invested quite a bit on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, but Rome wasn’t built in a day — and the same is true for this defense," Cameron wrote. "The coverage unit still needs immense work, particularly in the slot, where Chau Smith-Wade (49.6 PFF coverage grade) remains the team's only player to have clocked more than 100 coverage snaps.

"Adding a veteran to the unit in Mike Hilton — who owns a 77.3 PFF slot coverage grade over the past two seasons — would help stabilize this secondary," Cameron concluded.

Hilton played out the final year of his $24 million contract with the Bengals in 2024, when he gave up a completion rate of 67.2% and a passer rating of 92.0. While solid, we've seen Hilton fare better during his career, so improved numbers could be in the cards.

The veteran would be an upgrade in multiple facets. On top of his solid coverage skills, Hilton is an elite run defender, as evidenced by his 91.7 run defense grade last season, per Pro Football Focus. Carolina had the worst run defense in the NFL last season, so Hilton's skills in that area would be huge.

Spotrac projected earlier in the offseason that Hilton would land a three-year, $37 million deal in free agency, but it's rare for a veteran to get top dollar at this late stage.

Instead, we'd suspect Hilton will land a deal that pays him up to $8 or $9 million with incentives on a one-year pact. The Panthers should be able to afford that with $23 million in cap space.