After a season-ending injury to Artie Burns, the Bengals are making two veteran additions to their cornerback room.
The first is former Patriots and Raiders cornerback Jack Jones in a signing made official on Saturday, per a team announcement. Jones started 16 games for the Raiders last season and led the team with three interceptions and 16 passes defended.
The second, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is veteran slot corner Mike Hilton. Hilton started 23 games over the last two years as the Bengals’ primary nickel, a role he has held in both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh over the last eight seasons.
Cornerback has long been a need for Miami, even before they traded Jalen Ramsey to the Steelers. Jones primarily plays on the boundary, where he will likely compete for a starting job, while Hilton could be the starting nickel right away if Kader Kohou moves outside. Kohou also appeared to suffer a minor injury in Saturday’s practice, per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
Jones, a 2022 fourth-rounder, began his career with the Patriots and started two games as a rookie. He was cut five games into the 2023 season after disciplinary issues in New England and claimed off waivers by the Raiders. Jones earned a starting job in Las Vegas by the end of the year and continued it into 2024, but was released by the Raiders in April, presumably as part of the roster turnover that comes with regime change.
Hilton, originally an undrafted free agent signing by the Steelers, is one of the league’s most experienced nickels. His 36 career starts don’t properly represent his contributions, as he maintained a snap share around 60% during his four years in Pittsburgh and stayed above 70% for his next four in Cincinnati. His last two seasons were arguably his best, racking up 13 passes defended and 157 tackles with a whopping 24 tackles for loss. He earned grades of 77.4 and 75.9 from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2023 and 2024, respectively, his two best marks outside of his breakout rookie season. With a slew of younger corners on the roster, however, the Bengals declined to retain Hilton when his contract expired this year.
The Dolphins waived Ryan Cooper Jr. in a corresponding move to their signing of Jones. Cooper appeared in one game for the Ravens last year and finished the season on the Seahawks’ practices squad.