The Steelers have slapped cornerback Mike Hilton with a second-round tender, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
The move ensures that if any team signs Hilton to an offer sheet and the Steelers decline to match, they’d get that team’s second-round pick in return. If the organization has their way, they’d probably prefer that Hilton just sticks around Pittsburgh.
The 2016 undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss bounced between the Jaguars and Patriots before landing with the Steelers. After spending much of the 2016 campaign unsigned, Hilton emerged to appear in all 16 games during the 2017 season.
The cornerback has taken on a larger role during each of his seasons in Pittsburgh, culminating in a 2019 season where he appeared in 16 games (eight starts) and compiled 65 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, one interception, and one forced fumble.
Hilton is great slot CB. Love to keep him around
Isn’t he too short in coverage? I thought he gave up passes to bigger WR and TEs he covered.