Steelers DB Mike Hilton finding an added role outside the secondary?

As the Steelers prepare for the start of the 2020 season, are they are looking in unique ways with a certain secondary member to improve the defense?

Better teams and better coaches have always understood to fit the scheme around their players as opposed to forcing their players to fit the system. Of course, coaches are still going to have their set foundation for how they envision success, and that not all players have the versatility.

However, when the depth of a roster creates a “problem” from the point of too much talent, teams also find a way to get their best players on the field, anyway they can. Thankfully, the Steelers are combining their questions on defense to possibly maneuver to do so with DB Mike Hilton at the forefront.

Mike Hilton potentially fixing a hole on defense by moving in a different direction

Although the stability of the Steelers roster is granting them an advantage, particularly the defense, there are still three open-ended questions. Who is the replacement for DT Javon Hargraves, who will start at LB next to Devin Bush, & does S Terrell Edmunds finally perform to the value of his draft selection?

All the options have been thrown in the hat and tossed around, looming just to see what the Steelers will do. Speculation has created the mix of Edmunds or rookie S Antoine Brooks kicking down as an LB, while Hilton or CB Cameron Sutton takes over at safety.

Whatever combination appears the best, the Steelers know reality still has to be faced and have to prepare for it from every angle, even in the most interesting ways. From his practice report of August 22nd, Bob Labriola of Steelers.com provided some info that might have hinted at the direction Pittsburgh could be going at all of this.

“Tomlin brought back backs-on-backers four days after the first installment on Monday. The standout was safety Marcus Allen, who beat Kerrith Whyte in back-to-back reps then beat Whyte again before splitting with Trey Edmunds. He also beat Anthony McFarland on one rep. He and Mike Hilton were the only defensive backs to work in the drill.”

As it’s great to read that S Marcus Allen is competing well, who is the outside-looking-in for the 53 man roster, the last sentence is the most important, but not only for that reason. HC Mike Tomlin also gave a bit of insight on this situation, cause as we project on possibilities, they know people still want some sort of clarity:

"“We rotated a lot of secondary guys down to running backs vs. linebacker competitions because particularly the safety position is linebacker-like,” said Tomlin. “Yesterday in the tackling drill, we brought Mike Hilton and Antoine Brooks down with the linebackers. Today we were in a blitz drill, and we brought Mike Hilton and Marcus Allen down. Some of those safeties, particularly those who play in the box, we bring them down to the running back competition because the responsibilities of their job are linebacker-like”."

Tomlin foreshadowing between the lines?

To take into account, Tomlin said that they “rotated a lot of secondary guys down,” and who knows if there were more names. Still, it’s the reason that Hilton has been the lone secondary member of these drills on consecutive days that raises an eyebrow.

Now, as the full-time LB, the likelihood of Hilton fulfilling that role is slim to none. However, the Steelers are users of the dime or big nickel packages, and maybe that’s where Hilton could find extra snaps while keeping Sutton & Edmunds in their respective places.

Though he stands at 5’9 & 180 pounds, Hilton’s aggression and ability to tackle near the line of scrimmage has provided an added threat off the edge at times when playing as the slot CB. Since Hilton entered the league in 2017, he has had at least one interception, five pass deflections, one sack, five QB hits, five tackles for loss, 55 tackles, and a missed tackle percentage no higher than 7% in every season.

As Sutton is emerging as a defender in the slot, the Steelers still understand to find a role for Hilton on the field elsewhere if need be. Will this completely solve the questions? No, but the talent on the roster is maximized for what’s available in an area that could supplement this defense in moments.