Mike Hilton spent the better part of his weekend hoping, wishing and sometimes praying that his phone wasn’t going to ring. Yeah, not going to ring.
“No call is a good call,” Hilton told me Monday at the Rooney Sports Complex.
Hilton didn’t get the call from the ‘Turk’ on Saturday, but he did get a call on Monday — to replace William Gay in the nickel defense as the Steelers began preparations for Sunday’s opener at Cleveland.
It was only the first day of the week, but strong indications point toward Hilton replacing Gay in the five-defensive-back scheme and Gay coming on when they go to six defensive backs.
In what’s become custom with this coaching staff, Hilton was told nothing about the pecking order yet.
“They didn’t tell me anything,” Hilton said. “They just told me to go out there (with the first team). I am just getting ready for Cleveland.”
Hilton, who went undrafted last year before being cut by both the Jaguars and the Patriots, had a strong training camp and preseason. Even though he’s small (5-9, 184), he provides Keith Butler will multiple options, including blitzing from the slot and strong tackling.
Still, Hilton isn’t allowing himself to buy into the indications that he will be the team’s slot corner. The Steelers played sub-package football on defense more than 70 percent of the time a season ago, meaning Hilton would have a significant role within the defense if he is the nickel defensive back.
“It’s kind of back-and-forth, yes and no,” said Hilton about possibly starting the year as the top slot corner. “They want to see me run with the ones and get that chemistry. On my end, I know it’s not official yet.”
With Hilton in the slot, it allows the Steelers to have Gay in the dime. The Steelers rarely played dime a year ago, but there was a reason for that, according to Artie Burns.
“We didn’t have the guys to do it,” Burns said. “Now we are going to use it.”
