While the dead part of the offseason tends to be an adverse time for teams to make any sweeping roster additions, the Pittsburgh Steelers could still be in the market for another veteran or two. If you listen to Kristopher Knox from Bleacher Report, a reunion could be brewing for the team.
There hasn’t been a hot market for veteran slot cornerback Mike Hilton. While his time in Pittsburgh is fondly remembered, and his first few seasons with the Bengals were equally impactful, he is starting to show some signs of regression.
Known for his physical run-stopping ability as well as his blitzing, Hilton was also a better-than-average coverage option for most of his time here. This allowed him to become one of the best slot defenders in the league en route to his well-deserved payday with the Bengals.
Father Time appears to be creeping up on Hilton, though, as his coverage fell off in a major way last season. Still a free agent, the Steelers could kick the tires on this former undrafted gem before training camp opens.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could be a great landing spot for Mike Hilton
While the coverage decline is certainly worth noting, there is still a valuable role that Hilton can play on defense this year. Despite his struggles in the passing game, he can still play the run better than most slot cornerbacks, and his ability as a blitzer hasn’t left him yet.
For a Steelers defense that struggled against the run, especially when they weren’t in their base defense, Hilton has key value. Now, Pittsburgh can once again play subpackage while still being capable of stopping the run.
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While his coverage was bad a season ago, it is important to note that the Bengals defense as a whole was abysmal. That doesn’t excuse all of his issues, but it can help explain some of them. While it is unlikely that he completely turns back the clock, he is only 31, so he could easily have a rebound year in the right system.
Given his struggles and lack of interest, I can’t imagine his contract would cost that much. If over the veteran minimum, it wouldn’t be by much, and there would likely be little guaranteed on such a contract.
It isn’t like Beanie Bishop was a great run defender, so he could take on the pass coverage role as he continues to grow as a former undrafted rookie himself. Donte Kent, meanwhile, is completely unknown as a seventh-round pick.
The best-case scenario is that Hilton returns to form and is an instant upgrade as your slot defender. The worst case is that he truly is washed up and is cut after training camp. The most likely scenario? He can fill in on run downs while Bishop serves as the coverage slot option, similar to how the team used Arthur Maulet a few years ago.
Is this a huge upgrade? No, but it is a sound one to make on the cheap. And who knows, returning to the scheme that he thrived in could pay dividends for both his career and the Steelers defense.