Steelers tackle Tony Hills has signed his restricted free agent tender today according to a tweet by Mark Kaboly. The one year restricted tender is believed to be around $1.2 million and it includes no bonus. Hills probably knows he is on the wrong side of the bubble and that he he needs to get back on the field as soon as possible to fight for a spot on the Steelers 53 man roster. He can\’t practice until Aug. 4th though because of rules in the new CBA.
Since being drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft, Hills has been a huge disappointment and has not shown very much in his limited time on the field with the Steelers. He will need to make a huge jump in his fourth season to have an outside chance to be the Steelers swing tackle. He will have to earn every penny of that $1.2 million salary to stay on the roster as the Steelers will be hard pressed for cap room.
With Hills now signing, that leaves quarterback Dennis Dixon as the only restricted free agent tendered player yet to sign. Dixon is likely hoping to get an offer from another team. Thus far there has been no reports of interest in him.
