Beanie Bishop Jr. has one advantage in his quest to push for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ slot cornerback job: a blueprint. There’s no mystery to what the Steelers are looking for out of their slot defender because they have a template. In spite of the fact that they let him walk in free agency, head coach Mike Tomlin is still looking for the next Mike Hilton.
That is who Tomlin told Arthur Maulet to watch after they signed him. I’m sure Chandon Sullivan had the same conversation last year, and you know Bishop is now hearing the same thing. All three have a lot in common, but Bishop has one advantage: he’s faster than Hilton. Does he have the rest of the package?
“Mike Hilton, that’s kind of the prototype for the slot here”, Bishop told reporters yesterday, via the team’s website. “I’ll go and watch some of his tape and things like that. Guys tell me to watch his tape and just go look at how they want the nickel to play here”.
A 2016 college free agent out of Ole Miss, Mike Hilton found his way to the Steelers’ practice squad last that year. He earned the starting nickel job the following season and hasn’t stopped since. Now three years into his career with the Bengals, the Steelers are still searching for his replacement. Bishop is hoping that is him.
At 5-9, 182 pounds, Bishop is roughly the same size as Hilton, only faster. But it’s hard to compete with Hilton’s complete game as both a run defender and blitzer. Bishop does not believe that he is deficient in those areas, however, and means to prove it this summer.
“I’m a physical guy. I feel that this is the perfect opportunity for me”, Bishop said about filling the role Hilton once occupied with the Steelers. “Just hard-nosed, don’t really say much. Just get to it, work hard, be physical, and punch guys in the mouth. I think people can see that through the tape”.
The Steelers prioritized Bishop as a rookie college free agent, unsurprising given his profile. One wonders if they would have selected him if they had a seventh-round pick. They believe in his potential, as evidenced by general manager Omar Khan’s excitement about him.
With that in mind, Bishop does have a significant new challenger. The Steelers recently signed Cameron Sutton, who has played that Hilton role in this defense before. He is the overwhelming favorite to be the primary nickel defender, if off-field issues don’t prevent his contributions.
While Hilton came to define the slot cornerback position in Pittsburgh, there is room for improvement. That is why many fans are excited about the rookie. Beanie Bishop Jr. at times sounds like Hilton with better coverage skills, but that’s a lofty comparison to honor.
