As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for their visit to Arrowhead Stadium in Week 2, an early-season roster focus is becoming clearer: to bolster the team's defense. A slot corner might be the next acquisition before the team faces the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of Super Bowl LIX.
All eyes in Week 2 will be on the highly anticipated game between the Eagles and Chiefs, but it appears Philly general manager Howie Roseman isn't done adding new faces before his team arrives in K.C. A free-agent visit with cornerback Mike Hilton is in the cards for Monday, per NFL reporter Jordan Schultz.
The Eagles are looking for ways to bolster the pass defense before landing in K.C.
Chiefs fans will enjoy a chuckle at the idea that the Eagles need a stronger pass defense after watching Xavier Worthy leave in Week 1 with a shoulder injury. Worthy is seeking a second opinion on the shoulder, but it looks as if he's out for the foreseeable future—and it's possible long-term effects are in the cards there.
Worthy's absence only deepens the positional void knowing Rashee Rice has another five games to serve of a six-game suspension levied by the NFL to start the season. Jalen Royals, a rookie fourth-round wideout, has also missed practice and his NFL debut with a bout of knee tendinitis.
Watching Adoreé Jackson struggle in Week 1 was difficult for Eagles fans to watch, which likely informed the search for further cornerback help before things get any worse.
Hilton has eight years of starting experience in the NFL, and spent the last eight seasons in the AFC North—four seasons apiece with the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. A successful workout with the Eagles could lead to a return to Pennsylvania and a chance to help a repeat bid after an unsuccessful championship run with the Bengals in '21.
An experienced slot corner, Hilton could give the Eagles greater depth and versatility in the secondary with some proven blitzing ability displayed over the years. He has 11.5 sacks, 13 interceptions, and 56 passes defended in an impressive career that began as an undrafted free agent signing out of Ole Miss.
The Eagles and Chiefs will kick off on Sunday, September 14 at 3:25 p.m. C.T.