Cowboys Urged to Sign $24 Million Free Agent CB From AFC North

“Despite his production as one of the league’s top slot cornerbacks, Mike Hilton remains available,” Moton wrote on May 21. “At that position, he’s an above-average cover defender, allowing a career 82 passer rating, and has recently been a consistent playmaker in run support, recording 12 tackles for loss in 2023 and 2024. Hilton turned 31 in March. Teams have shown they are hesitant to invest in older slot cornerbacks. However, the eight-year veteran hasn’t shown any decline entering his ninth year.”

Undersized but Might Undrafted Free Agent

Hilton was a star defensive back who played both safety and cornerback at Ole Miss and was an All-SEC pick in 2015. His pre-draft measurables — 5-foot-8 and 178 pounds — kept him off the draft boards of NFL teams.

Hilton signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent and was cut by the Jaguars in the preseason then by the New England Patriots before spending the rest of the season with the Pittsburgh Steelers on the practice squad.

Hilton became a key member of the Steelers’ defense over the next 4 seasons, playing in 59 games with 20 starts and 7 interceptions. Hilton’s career high 3 interceptions in 2020 led to a 4-year, $24 million free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals,  where he had 66 tackles, 8 TFL, 5 pass deflections, 2 interceptions and 1 interception return for a touchdown in 2021 as the Bengals made it to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1988 season.

In 4 seasons with the Bengals from 2021 to 2024, Hilton missed just 4 games and had 7 interceptions. He started a career high 13 games in 2023 and started 10 games in 2024.

Cowboys Have Complicated Future at Cornerback

The Cowboys don’t have a clear path forward at cornerback past 2025, and that’s mostly tied to finances.

For starters, Diggs has a terrible contract. He signed a 5-year, $97 million contract extension in March 2023 that runs through 2028. It’s not clear if he’ll ever be an elite NFL cornerback again, although he’ll be paid like one as long as he’s on the Cowboys.

Bland is in a contract year and could be headed toward the payday of a lifetime.

Spotrac projects his market value in the neighborhood of a 4-year, $94.2 million free agent contract. That would put Bland among the Top 5 highest paid cornerbacks in the NFL at approximately $23.7 million per season.