The Carolina Panthers have done a fine job of adding talent this offseason.
In free agency, the team added quality players on defense like Tershawn Wharton, Tre'von Moehrig, and Bobby Brown III. Then, in the draft, the team used its first-round selection on talented wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
The defense was a huge liability in 2024, and now it should be slightly better, at least. Bryce Young also has a better supporting cast, so the offense should take a step forward.
On paper, this roster is much better than it was a couple of months ago. However, there is one glaring area of need the team still has heading into May — cornerback, specifically nickel corner.
Fortunately, there's at least one solid veteran still available on the market at this spot. Sterling Xie of Pro Football Network recently identified one free agent each team should still sign. For the Panthers, Xie predicted Mike Hilton as a target.
Regarding Hilton's fit in Carolina, Xie offered the following:
One veteran who could push Smith-Wade would be veteran Mike Hilton. Although he’s now 31 years old, the long-time slot corner for the Steelers and Bengals has held opponents below 6.0 yards per target in two straight seasons. If Smith-Wade beats out a player like Hilton, the Panthers could feel more comfortable playing the second-year pro based on merit rather than by default.
As Xie mentioned, 2024 fifth-round pick Chau Smith-Wade is currently penciled in to be the starting slot corner.
Smith-Wade played in 14 games last season and collected 39 tackles and one interception. The defender was serviceable, but Hilton would provide a massive upgrade as one of the better slot corners in the league.
Hilton is not only solid in coverage, but he's elite in run support, as well. The veteran earned a 91.7 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024, which was the best mark among 222 qualified corners.
Hilton collected 73 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, one interception, and five pass defensed for the Bengals in 2024. The corner has had at least one interception in each of his eight NFL seasons and would be a valuable addition to a young Panthers secondary.
Spotrac projects Hilton to land a three-year deal worth $12.3 million annually. However, with the offseason activities approaching, the veteran would likely settle for a smaller deal at this point.
Over the Cap has the Panthers sitting at around $16 million in remaining cap space, so this deal would make sense financially.