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- T.Y. Hilton is destined to be a popular name in NFL free agency
- Offseason news will feature Hilton, who is in the twilight of his career
- Which teams represent free agent landing spots for Hilton?
One of the most difficult aspects of free agency for NFL teams is determining whether players over 30 years old still have a few years of elite production left. The NFL offseason can be made or broken with evaluating players in that age range accurately. One such compelling case will surround free agent wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who hopes to convince teams he can still be a difference maker.
Hilton is 31 years old and has spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts. In the middle part of the previous decade, he was almost an automatic bet to post 1,000 yard seasons. From 2013-2018, Hilton eclipsed that threshold in five out of six campaigns. From 2019-2020 however, his production and availability have raised question marks. He only averaged 12.3 yards per catch in the last two seasons, which is a far cry from the minimum of 15 yards per reception he recorded every season before that.
Which teams would be willing to bring in the wide receiver with hopes he can recapture his prior magic?
Jaguars
Having had a front row seat to Hilton’s prowess for the last nine seasons, the Jaguars know what he can do as well as anyone. Indianapolis’ AFC South rival could look to bring the veteran pass catcher in for a few different reasons.
Jacksonville’s offensive skill players are very young, and will only get younger when they likely select Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the NFL Draft. Wide receivers DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault are 24 and 22 years old respectively, so the locker room could benefit by having someone as seasoned as Hilton.
Additionally, Jacksonville has a projected $81 million in cap space. They can afford to take a flier or two on some bounce back players, without restricting their flexibility moving forward.
Patriots
It’s no secret that the Patriots have been trying to upgrade their receiving corps for a few years now. New England has tried many avenues to improve that area of their team without much success. With a projected $68 million in available cap space in free agency, the Patriots will likely try to sign one or two wide receivers.
Hilton would be a good free agent signing for them, as he fits their need in a couple of ways. His upside could be tremendous if he’s able to recapture his form, which the other New England receivers don’t really have.
Additionally, he wouldn’t have a learning curve with regards to playing in the NFL like a draft pick would. This would allow the Patriots to bring him in with the thought they could compete for a playoff spot in 2021.
Chargers
From a fantasy football perspective, this might be one of the most fun free agency outcomes for Hilton. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had a wonderful rookie season, and looks like he’ll be the type of player who can support multiple receivers with upper echelon stats. Wide receiver Keenan Allen is one of the best possession receivers in the league, and Hilton’s arrival could make them even more dangerous.
If Hilton can get down the field and force teams to play deep, Allen could have a field day underneath. Conversely, if Allen starts to take off with his production, teams might play more towards the line of scrimmage. Against those formations, Hilton would have a great chance of being single covered down the field.
