As expected, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Mike Hilton has also signed the second-round restricted free agent tender that he received from the team back in March, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Hilton, like offensive lineman Matt Feiler, received a second-round restricted free agent tender back in March that will earn him $3.259 million in 2020. Also like Feiler, Hilton did not receive an offer sheet from another team prior to the April 17 deadline.
Hilton, a former undrafted free agent out of Mississippi, has emerged as one of the league’s better nickel corners and one of its best run stoppers. Playing in all 16 games in 2019, he registered 65 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one interception. Over the last three years, he has 22 tackles for loss, one of the best numbers by any defensive back in football.
Last year Hilton was an exclusive rights free agent and chose not to sign his minimum valued tender until he reported to training camp in July. It’s worth noting that June 15 is the deadline for teams to withdraw qualifying offers to Restricted Free Agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by substituting “June 15 Tender” of one-year contract at 110 percent of the player’s prior-year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior-year contract carried forward unchanged).
According to Schefter on Thursday, Hilton’s representation, Rosenhaus Sports, is still hoping to get a contract extension done with the Steelers before the 2020 season starts. To date, there have been no indications that the Steelers plan to sign Hilton to a contract extension this offseason.
Currently, Hilton, like Feiler, who also reportedly signed his restricted free agent tender on Thursday, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the 2021 NFL league year in March.
