The Pittsburgh Steelers lost three starters from their outstanding defense during the off season; Bud Dupree, Mike Hilton, and Steven Nelson. Dupree leaving via free agency was to be expected, so much so that the Steelers drafted his eventually replacement by selecting Alex Highsmith in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Nelson's departure was rather unexpected, happening seemingly out of nowhere after contract restructuring discussions reached an impasse and salary cap saving measures were taken.
Mike Hilton's odds of returning were no better than 50/50, a proverbial flip of the coin. On one hand, Hilton was the prototypical Pittsburgh Steelers player.