Coming off a season in which the Pittsburgh Steelers had some major issues in pass coverage, particularly at cornerback, that position is a significant need for the Black and Gold moving forward.
Though second-year pro Joey Porter Jr. had some good moments in 2024, and veteran Donte Jackson set a career-high in interceptions after being acquired via trade, the cornerback room leaves much to be desired. That could have the Steelers looking to address the position in free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft.
Should the Steelers under GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl go the route of free agency to address the cornerback position, Pro Football Focus has Pittsburgh as the best landing spot for a pair of veterans.
That would be Detroit Lions corner Carlton Davis and Cincinnati Bengals corner Mike Hilton, who spent four seasons in Pittsburgh earlier in his career. Both are pending free agents.
In a piece for Pro Football Focus highlighting the best landing spots for corners and safeties, Mason Cameron had the Steelers for both Davis and Hilton.
“Davis’ reputation as one of the most physical cornerbacks in the NFL should make for a natural fit in Pittsburgh,” Cameron writes. “The Steelers ran Cover 1 at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL in 2024, a scheme Davis is well acquainted with from his time in Detroit.”
Davis played 697 snaps last season for the Lions after joining Detroit via trade following six seasons in Tampa Bay. Davis graded out at a 74.5 overall from Pro Football Focus, including a 72.1 coverage grade, the best of his career, tying his rookie year in 2018.
In 2024, Davis allowed 43 receptions on 72 targets for 583 yards and three touchdowns. He had two interceptions and six passes defensed before he was lost for the season with a fractured jaw, suffered in Week 15 against the Houston Texans.
Davis has 11 interceptions and 67 passes defensed across 5,418 career snaps. Listed at 6-1, 206 pounds with good length, Davis would be a good fit in the Steelers’ defense at 28 years old. Entering free agency, Davis is ranked as the fourth-best cornerback set to hit the market behind D.J. Reed, Charvarius Ward and Rasul Douglas. PFF projects Davis to get a three-year, $42 million deal with $25 million guaranteed.
Prior to Davis re-signing with Tampa Bay ahead of the 2022 season, there was a report that the Steelers were targeting him to help fix their secondary issues. Maybe they try and go down that path again with him hitting the market a second time.
Along with Davis, PFF highlighted Pittsburgh as the best landing spot for Hilton, who played for the Steelers from 2017-20.
“Hilton may be reaching his age-31 season, but he hasn’t slowed down yet, still producing as one of the NFL’s best slot defenders,” Cameron writes. “The Steelers will need slot help after Cam Sutton‘s departure, and given that Pittsburgh drafted Hilton back in 2017, a reunion may be in the cards.”
Hilton was quite the find for the Steelers as an undrafted free agent, developing into a Pro Bowl slot cornerback and one of the more disruptive defenders in football for a stretch. He was able to parlay that into a sizable four-year deal with the Bengals in free agency, but now he’s set to hit the market once again.
Last season, Hilton played 737 snaps and graded out at a 75.9 overall, including a 91.7 against the run and a 68.5 in coverage. He allowed 47 receptions on 60 targets for 421 yards and three touchdowns and had one interception and two passes defensed.
He’s much more impactful against the run and attacking off the edge but still has issues in coverage. While the Steelers need an answer in the slot after Cameron Sutton was nearly unplayable late in the season, Beanie Bishop Jr. remains a viable option, especially in comparison to a 31-year-old Hilton.
Sometimes reunions are fun, but adding an aging Hilton who struggles in coverage doesn’t seem to be the path the Steelers need to go down at slot corner, especially one who is projected to get a three-year, $33 million deal in free agency with $20 million guaranteed, according to PFF.
