After sporting one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL last season, the Baltimore Ravens need as much help as possible in the secondary.
Baltimore signed veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to start spot opposite Nate Wiggins, and along with Marlon Humphrey in the slot, Baltimore could have a sufficient trio at the position.
However, Awuzie is anything but a sure thing.
After standing out over three years with the Cincinnati Bengals, Awuzie landed a big contract from the Tennessee Titans in 2024 but was cut following an injury-plagued season. And, injuries have been a problem throughout his career.
Making matters worse, the Ravens lost safety Ar'Darius Washington, who played in the slot in 2024, to a torn Achilles, which is a significant blow to their depth.
In order to add a much-needed reinforcement, Logan Ulrich of NFL Trade Rumors predicts the Ravens will sign veteran cornerback Mike Hilton in free agency.
"But Hilton just feels like an AFC North player, and the Ravens are always on the lookout for cornerbacks given the annual attrition they seem to suffer in the secondary," Ulrich wrote.
"It's started already with the loss of S Ar'Darius Washington, who played a fair amount in the slot last year. Hilton would give the Bengals some flexibility with where to align other players and fit right in as a hard-nosed, smart contributor."
Hilton is already quite familiar with the AFC North after his days with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Bengals, where he was liked by both fan bases, which would make him signing in Baltimore a tough pill to swallow for both.
Hilton played out the final year of his $24 million contract in Cincinnati last season and showed he's still an impact player.
The veteran surrendered a completion rate of 67.2% and a pass rating of 92.0, and he once again proved to be an elite run defender, as evidenced by his Pro Football Focus grade of 91.7 in that area.
With Hilton in the mix, the Ravens would have another option for the slot, and it's possible Hilton could earn a starting role if he performs better than Awuzie, which would push Humphrey to the boundary opposite Wiggins.
With how poorly the Ravens performed against the pass last season, they can leave nothing to chance in 2025. That's why it makes all the sense in the world to bring Hilton in.
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