Hilton seems likely starter at slot corner
No definite word yet on outcome of battle vs. Gay
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Last week, the Steelers signed cornerback Joe Haden and named him their starting cornerback opposite Artie Burns. Monday, it appeared the Steelers were close to naming a starter for the only position in the defensive backfield that remains unsettled six days before the regular-season opener in Cleveland.
Mike Hilton, an undrafted free agent who was out of the NFL for two months in the middle of last season, took the reps with the first-team defense Monday at slot corner. Hilton, 23, and veteran William Gay, 32, had been competing for that job throughout training camp.
“They haven’t said anything,” Hilton said after practice Monday. “I was out there with the 1s today. I don’t know what’s going on in their heads, but I’m getting prepared.”
Hilton, who played in college at Mississippi, was with Jacksonville last summer for training camp before getting released. The New England Patriots signed him to their practice squad, but they cut him after one week.
For the next two months, he was out of the league until the Steelers signed him to their practice squad in December. Hilton was a standout during OTAs and minicamp in May and June and continued to play well in training camp practices and preseason games.
Now, he’s close to being a starter on a Super Bowl contender.
“In rookie minicamp, OTAs, they got to see what I was able to do,” Hilton said. “Come training camp and the preseason, I was ready to perform under the lights, and I caught their eye. Hopefully, I can keep it going from here.”
Wilcox gets acclimated
Hilton wasn’t the only new face among the defensive starters Monday. J.J. Wilcox, acquired Sunday from Tampa Bay, was given a baptism by fire when he took some reps with the firstteam defense.
It remains to be seen what kind of role Wilcox will have Sunday when the Steelers open the season against the Cleveland Browns. Mike Mitchell confirmed he took part in some portions of practice Monday, but didn’t give any hints about his playing status.
Mitchell missed more than a month with a hamstring injury. Earlier in the day, the Steelers waived/injured Jordan Dangerfield, leaving Wilcox and reserve Robert Golden as the only other safeties on the roster.
Putting Wilcox in with the starters might have simply been about getting him reps, but he could be pressed into action if Mitchell is not ready to play.
“This defense here is pretty stellar,” said Wilcox, who signed with the Buccaneers in March after spending his first four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. “You have guys who are Pro Bowlers who know how to win, know how to get the job done. For me, it’s how fast can I pick up the playbook and help this defense out. That’s my goal this week.”
Wilcox received the playbook Monday. Anytime he was not participating in practice, Wilcox was next to defensive backs coach Carnell Lake trying to get squared away with the nuances of the defense.
“It’s just different terminology,” Wilcox said. “Football is football. Defense is defense, but you have different languages. Those are the things I have to pick up on as soon as possible. This is a stellar defense. They can’t lack at any position on the field, so I have to come in and pick it up as fast as possible.
“I rotated in. A lot of the DBs were helping me, the LBs, the D-line, the coaching staff. I’m excited. I have some stuff to study, but I tell you what, I’ll be giving it 100 percent Sunday against Cleveland.”
Roster moves
The Steelers placed rookie cornerback Cameron Sutton on the reserve/injured list, waived/injured safety Jordan Dangerfield and resigned inside linebacker Steven Johnson.
Sutton and Dangerfield were injured in the final preseason game in Carolina Thursday night. Sutton can be designated to return to the 53-man roster after eight weeks.
The Steelers had been hoping Sutton could win the slot corner job, but he aggravated the hamstring injury that forced him to miss three weeks of training camp. Now, he’ll miss at least half the season while the injury heals a second time.
Dangerfield’s injury was costly for him. He went from taking first-team reps in practice last week to being cut Monday.
Johnson was among the cuts Saturday, but he already was back with the team Monday.
Assuming running back Le’Veon Bell is added to the 53-man roster before the Browns game, the Steelers still have to make one more roster move before Sunday.
The Steelers don’t have to make a move immediately because they received a twoweek roster exemption from the NFL.
Captains named
The Steelers named quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and defensive end Cameron Heyward team captains. Roethlisberger is a captain for the ninth time. Heyward is entering his fourth season as a captain.
Conspicuous by his absence was Robert Golden, who had served as a specialteams captain for the past three seasons.