Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is not content after constructing a roster that pounded on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. He made a strong effort to acquire star edge rusher Micah Parsons before the new campaign and then signed three-time Pro Bowler defensive end Za'Darius Smith after the team earned a season-opening victory versus the Dallas Cowboys. Now, the first-class executive is seeking to bolster the secondary.
The Eagles are bringing in veteran cornerback Mike Hilton for a workout on Monday, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The 31-year-old joined the Miami Dolphins in July after playing four seasons each with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. He was released in August as part of mass roster cuts — perhaps the Fins could have used him in Sunday's embarrassing loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Philly clearly thinks he may have something left in the tank.
Can the Eagles help another player rejuvenate his career?
If Hilton impresses the Eagles, he will join Super Bowl hero Cooper DeJean in handling slot duties for the team. The undrafted talent out of Ole Miss recorded one interception, five pass breakups, 50 solo tackles and 12 tackles for loss with the Bengals last season. He was terrific on run defense and passable in coverage, earning 91.7 and 68.4 grades, respectively, per Pro Football Focus. He was not too sharp this past preseason, however, causing him to land back in the free agent market.
Roseman is not just going to assume Hilton is washed up, though. Philadelphia will give him a fair shot to make its roster before a Week 2 road matchup versus the Kansas City Chiefs. A 1-0 start does not change the fact that this team still has some questions to answer on defense. If CeeDee Lamb and the Cowboys made a couple less drops on offense, they could have left Lincoln Financial Field with a big win. One should not dwell on ifs, but they should also not rest on their laurels.
The Eagles are focused on building the next dynasty, and that entails forward thinking and savvy acquisitions. A Mike Hilton signing could potentially check both of those boxes. He will have to show out in Philly, though.
