The Cincinnati Bengals may not have completely finalized the remaking of what was one of the worst defenses in the league, but they did do a solid job of trimming some of the veteran fat after parting ways with names like cornerback Mike Hilton in favor of younger players.
Hilton was not out of work for very long, as he signed with the DB-needy Miami Dolphins before the season began. After failing to show he can be the same impactful player he was in his prime, the Dolphins decided that they had already had enough of Hilton's stay.
The Dolphins decided to release Hilton after the conclusion of the preseason, choosing instead to let some of the younger players strut their stuff. The fact that Hilton couldn't make a Miami cornerback room widely regarded as one of the worst in the league speaks volumes about where he is at right now.
As a 31-year-old cornerback who is fresh off getting cut from a cornerback room that is being held together by string and duct tape, it seems unlikely that Hilton is going to have a very healthy market of teams clamoring for his services.
Former Bengals starter Mike Hilton cut by Dolphins
After some very productive years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the veteran leader started off his career in Cincinnati with flying colors as a part of their Super Bowl run. However, he started to show his age in the last two seasons, which led to the Bengals standing out as one of the league's worst defenses in 2025.
Hilton likely joined up with Miami with the thought that he could waltz into a cornerback room led by names like Jack Jones, Storm Duck, and rookie Jason Marshall Jr. Instead, the Dolphins booted him to the curb. If he can't make this cornerback room, he can't make any across the league.
Unless a team like the Indianapolis Colts, whose defense is led by Hilton's former Bengals DC in Lou Anarumo, leans on personal connections to throw the eight-year veteran a lifeline, there's a very good chance that his poor season in 2024 on a wretched collective Bengals unit will be his last hurrah in the NFL.