The slot corner position has been a sore spot for the Pittsburgh Steelers for nearly half a decade now, and they can thank their AFC North rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, for that. When they lost starting nickel corner Mike Hilton to the Bengals during the 2021 offseason, it hindered their secondary in both coverage and run support.
They have attempted to replace him with a slew of players, most recently fellow undrafted free agent Beanie Bishop. None have produced at the level Hilton did for the Black and Gold, and now the massive trade for Jalen Ramsey seems to be the long-awaited solution.
Despite the move for Ramsey, the Steelers could use more competition at both corner and safety, especially with Minkah Fitzpatrick being a part of the trade. It just so happens that Hilton is still a free agent after his contract with Cincinnati expired this offseason. Could Pittsburgh bring back the fan favorite to help fill out the training camp roster?
Mike Hilton deserves an opportunity to make his Pittsburgh Steelers homecoming
Hilton is now on the wrong side of 30, but he didn't show many signs of regression in 2024. His 75.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus would have been the best among all of Pittsburgh's secondary players, and his 91.7 run defense grade was by far a career high.
He isn't as athletic as he was earlier in his career, so his days as an impactful coverage defender are likely over. Luckily, he wouldn't need to play a full-time role with the Steelers if they were to bring him in. With Ramsey in the fold, he could handle the tougher coverage assignments while getting a breather on occasional run downs.
The three-time All-Pro is still an impact in run defense, but his tackling consistency and overall physicality took a major hit last season. Hilton could be the primary backup in the slot, or even the starter if one of Joey Porter Jr. or Darius Slay were to struggle or miss time due to injury.
It's very possible that the bridge was burned between Hilton and the Steelers after the team never even offered him a contract back in 2021, but if not, a reunion makes plenty of sense for both sides.