Mike Hilton strikes again, looks to recruit Patriots star J.C. Jackson

Hilton wants both Laremy Tunsil and J.C. Jackson in the Queen City.

The Cincinnati Bengals, per Over The Cap, will have the fourth-most cap space entering the offseason. That means, if they want to, they’ll have a chance to drastically improve their Super Bowl-making roster.

While the Bengals weren’t able to win the Super Bowl, adding key offensive linemen could easily get them back into a position to finally do just that. Laremy Tunsil could be an option for them.

For Cincinnati, there may not be a better advocate than 2021 signee Mike Hilton.

Hilton was crucial for the team’s playoff run, showcasing his skill set as one of the best slot cornerbacks in the entire NFL. Now, he wants the Bengals to make a run for J.C. Jackson, who clearly feels underappreciated by the New England Patriots.

Hilton doesn’t appear to have any connection with Jackson, but he was former teammates with Tunsil at Ole Miss. The Bengals were without a second starter-quality cornerback for the bulk of 2021, so adding Jackson would give their secondary a big-time boost.

Jackson was a Pro Bowler this season and totaled eight interceptions in 17 games. He also had a league-high 23 passes defended. Jackson was clearly among the most impactful cornerbacks in the NFL and will likely need to be paid like one.

The Bengals also have Jessie Bates who needs his contract extension finalized, so they may not have the flexibility to add to their line, keep Bates and sign Jackson. Nonetheless, no one would be complaining if Jackson is a player they opt to target.