Steelers News: Mike Hilton is coming off a good 2019 season, which gives him some leverage

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 season is officially over. After finishing the year 8-8, the Steelers, and their vast fan base, has another long offseason awaiting them. Just because the games are done doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at how Mike Hilton can turn his stellar 2019 season into leverage this offseason.

Let’s get to the news:

• Mike Hilton didn’t have the best 2018, but his 2019 certainly was better. How he can turn this into some much-needed leverage as a Restricted Free Agent.

Steelers’ Mike Hilton has (slightly) more leverage this offseason as restricted free agent

By: Chris Adamski, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Mike Hilton politely made it clear last season he wanted a multiyear contract. The Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback did not get one, but after another solid season, he finds himself in a similar spot.

Hilton again is not assured of getting a multiyear extension. However it plays out, Hilton said he will use that as fuel.

“I always play with a chip on my shoulder,” Hilton said last week. “Contract-wise, that will take care of itself. I have got to go out there and do what I do on the field, and I feel like I played well this year. Hopefully, things work out in my favor.”

Hilton is set to be a restricted free agent after serving as the Steelers’ nickel man the past three seasons. As an undrafted player who spent a year on practice squads, he earned the NFL minimum salary for each of them.

This time, the restricted free agency designation at least affords Hilton slight leverage. And, as a potential 2021 unrestricted free agent, Hilton is eligible, per Steelers organizational policy, for a multiyear extension.

Then again, there’s no guarantee the Steelers will do more than the minimum to keep Hilton around

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Thought the Steelers could have done to the Patriots what the Titans did to the Patriots? Think again...

Tim Benz: Don’t kid yourself. Steelers never could’ve done what Titans did to Patriots

By: Tim Benz, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Yeah. It crossed my mind, too.

Watching the New England Patriots crumble at home against the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the AFC playoffs.

Could this have been the year? What if the Steelers didn’t fall apart down the stretch and had managed to scratch their way past the Titans into the conference’s sixth playoff slot?

Could they have done to the Patriots what the Titans did?

In a great twist of irony, after so many failures against Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in Foxborough over the last 18 years, would this have finally been the year they beat them both on the same day in Massachusetts?

In the playoffs, no less?!

Nope. It wouldn’t have happened.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• And the 2020 NFL Draft order continue to come to fruition...

Four more spots in 2020 NFL Draft order filled in

By: Darin Gantt, ProFootballTalk

The Patriots not being involved in the divisional round of the playoffs is unusual enough.

Having them involved so early in next year’s annual selection meeting will be peculiar as well.

With the results of the wild card weekend in the books, four more slots in the 2020 NFL Draft order have been filled in.

The Eagles will pick 21st, followed by the Bills 22nd, the Patriots 23rd, and the Saints 24th.

While the Patriots move around the draft order as much as any team in the league, and they might again, their own pick hasn’t been this high in years.

They’ve had higher selections from other teams through trades, but they haven’t used their own selection this early in the order since they took Laurence Maroney with the 21st overall pick in 2006.

Here’s a look at the order of the top 24 teams. The next four slots will go to the losers of next week’s divisional round games:

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Social Media Madness