The Pittsburgh Steelers still have a need for another wide receiver and could theoretically use another veteran tight end after the loss of Donald Parham Jr. during Organized Team Activities to a torn Achilles, so GM Omar Khan isn’t done yet tinkering with the roster.
Could that tinkering between now and the start of training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe on July 24 involve a reunion with a familiar face?
For Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, it could make some sense as the Steelers have a need — on paper — at slot cornerback and former Steelers slot cornerback Mike Hilton remains a free agent. In a piece for Bleacher Report, Knox named the Steelers as a logical landing spot for Hilton.
“Hilton spent his first four seasons in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers appear to be all-in on the 2025 season after signing quarterback Aaron Rodgers,” Knox writes. “They should be interested in adding corner depth for the upcoming campaign, and Hilton would be an upgrade over second-year slot corner Beanie Bishop Jr.”
With the addition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, it’s clear the Steelers believe they can compete this season, so adding a veteran slot cornerback who is proven in the NFL makes some sense, if the Steelers were to go in that direction.
They’re quite familiar with Hilton, too. He spent the first four years of his career with the Steelers, playing in 59 games with 20 starts, recording 237 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, and seven interceptions.
He never made a Pro Bowl during his time in Pittsburgh, but he became a very valuable piece for the Steelers, allowing Pittsburgh to live in sub-package football without sacrificing anything against the run due to Hilton’s presence in the slot.
After four years in Pittsburgh, Hilton went to the Cincinnati Bengals and helped lead them to a Super Bowl appearance, but in recent years his play has declined, and he remains a free agent for a reason entering his age 31 season. Despite having 12 tackles for loss last season for the Bengals, Hilton fell apart in coverage, allowing 41 receptions for 356 yards and three touchdowns.
Though he wasn’t tested down the field much last season, Hilton struggled with the quick-hitting stuff, giving up far too many easy completions as quarterbacks had a rating of 92.0 when targeting him.
Landing back in Pittsburgh makes some sense given its uncertainty at the slot cornerback position. But his struggles in coverage and his age makes it very unlikely the Steelers even kick the tires, especially as they continue to develop Beanie Bishop Jr. in Year 2, and drafted Donte Kent out of Central Michigan in the seventh round.
Veteran free agent signee Brandin Echols is even an option in the slot despite limited experience there, so the Steelers might not have as big of a need in the slot as many make it out to be. While it could be fun to have a Hilton reunion in Pittsburgh late in his career, letting him hunt around the line of scrimmage and attack downhill again, the Steelers shouldn’t do that at the expense of Bishop or Kent’s development this season.
