Veteran CB hopes to finish career with Bengals

Mike Hilton has been a regular presence in the Bengals’ secondary for the past four seasons. The pending free agent is looking to continue his career, but it remains to be seen if that will happen in Cincinnati.

“I’ve been here for a long time and really watched this place change a lot,” Hilton said via Sports Illustrated’s Jay Morrison. “Obviously I would love to finish my career here. But the nature of the business is you never know. When that time comes, we’ll figure it out.”

The former UDFA spent four seasons in Pittsburgh, including the 2020 campaign, where he played on a restricted free-agent tender. Hilton hoped to sign a long-term contract, but securing one required an intra-divisional move. The Bengals inked him to a four-year, $24M deal, and he has provided sold value since then.

Hilton will be playing his age-31 season in 2025, though, and the Bengals could look to younger options as potential replacements. The team has recent draftees Dax Hill, Cam Taylor-Britt and DJ Turner in place as perimeter corners (although Taylor-Britt is a pending free agent), but Hilton has been a mainstay in the slot throughout his time in Cincinnati. Morrison notes that that has included a lighter workload on third downs, particularly this season. This is a potential signal that the team could go differently this offseason.

A veteran of 122 games and 55 starts, Hilton has remained consistent during his Bengals run. The Ole Miss product has recorded one or two interceptions in his past four seasons, adding between four and eight pass deflections each year. Hilton’s coverage statistics and evaluation from PFF have remained steady for the most part. However, 2024 (a season in which the Bengals have collectively struggled on defense) has seen a regression.

Cincinnati is projected to be near the league's top in cap space for the offseason, but the team has several pending financial priorities. A monster extension for Ja’Marr Chase and (if possible) a long-term deal for fellow receiver Tee Higgins are among them. Still, the Bengals must also decide on retaining Hilton or allowing him to depart. It will be interesting to see if the team reciprocates his desire for a new agreement. In any case, though, Hilton is not considering retirement.

“I’ve still got two or three [years] in me,” he added. “That’s my honest opinion. I feel like there’s really not anybody who can do what I do. And I feel like that brings a lot of value to some teams.”