The Miami Dolphins have signed veteran cornerback Mike Hilton to a one-year contract, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Saturday. Hilton joins the Dolphins after spending four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hilton was a key member of the Bengals defense, primarily playing the nickel cornerback role. Over those four seasons, he recorded 283 tackles and six interceptions.
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A tweet from Bengals analyst Paul Dehner Jr. praised Hilton as “First Team All-Great Dude.”
“Won the PFWA Media Cooperation Award last year, was a team leader and a heart and soul of those stellar 2021-22 defenses and both playoff runs,” Dehner tweeted. “One of the best free agent signings in Bengals history.”
During the 2024 season, Hilton appeared in 16 games, recording 73 tackles and an interception.
The Dolphins are signing Hilton primarily to bolster their secondary amid a wave of injuries and roster uncertainties early in training camp.
Specifically, multiple injuries to Dolphins cornerbacks, including Artie Burns Jr. tearing his ACL and Kader Kohou leaving practice early today with a knee issue, created an immediate need for experienced depth in the defensive backfield.
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In the offseason, the Dolphins released veteran cornerback Kendall Fuller and traded star CB Jalen Ramsey.
Earlier today, the Dolphins also signed cornerback Jack Jones to a one-year deal.
Hilton and Jones are expected to bring stability to the Dolphins’ secondary, which struggled to generate turnovers with only 10 interceptions in the 2024 season.