The Carolina Panthers dramatically improved their defense in the offseason, but PFF believes veteran cornerback Mike Hilton could be the missing piece for this unit. Head coach Dave Canales inherited a mess when he took over in 2024 and knew that he couldn’t fix the team in one offseason. With that in mind, the coach focused on building an environment that could support 2023 first-round pick Bryce Young. This approach worked, as Young played well down the stretch, but it came at the expense of the defense.
With the offense in a good place, Carolina spent 2024 focused on the defense. After re-signing Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson while adding Tre’Von Moehrig, Tershawn Wharton, and Day 2 draft picks Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. However, slot cornerback is still a need, and PFF believes free agent Mike Hilton could be the perfect fit for this defense.
“The coverage unit still needs immense work, particularly in the slot, where Chau Smith-Wade (49.6 PFF coverage grade) remains the team’s only player to have clocked more than 100 coverage snaps,” PFF’s Mason Cameron writes. “Adding a veteran like Mike Hilton – who owns a 77.3 PFF grade over the past two seasons – would help stabilize this secondary.”
PFF: Panthers Should Sign Cornerback Mike Hilton
As mentioned above, the Carolina Panthers still need a reliable slot cornerback, and Mike Hilton is probably the best option available. While he won’t make anyone forget about 2009 Darelle Revis, he’s an adequate starter who can give Carolina a well-rounded secondary with no glaring weaknesses. Jaycee Horn is an above-average starter, Mike Jackson played remarkably well last year, and Hilton can take the third spot. With Moehrig securing the strong safety position, Carolina should have a respectable defense heading into the upcoming season.
Building a team from the ground up isn’t easy, and nobody expects this team to compete for a Super Bowl in 2025. However, the NFC South is a disaster of a division, so could Carolina make a surprise push to the playoffs if they sign Mike Hilton?
The Weak NFC South
While anything can happen in the NFL, it’s hard to envision a world where the New Orleans Saints are competitive in 2025. With Derek Carr retired, first-year head coach Kellen Moore will have to win games with a flawed, old roster led by quarterbacks Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener. Nobody could win with this roster, and they’ll likely be in the running for the first-overall pick next year.
The rest of the division, however, could pose a problem. Baker Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain the best team in the NFC South, as they have the most offensive firepower in the division. While Todd Bowles is one of the league’s lesser head coaches, they’ll remain the team to beat. The Falcons, meanwhile, have young talent on offense but are betting everything on first-round picks Jalon Walker and James Pearce making an immediate contribution. If those two fix the defense and Michael Penix builds on his impressive three-game finish to 2025, Atlanta will probably be better than the Panthers.
Ultimately, Carolina still faces an uphill battle to make the playoffs. However, they should at least be competitive, which is the first time you could say that since the Cam Newton days.
Main Photo: Sam Greene – Imagn Images
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